Phyllis B. Walker (1893 - 1957)

WALKER, BURRUS, KEHR

Posted By: Pamela Wagler
Date: 3/5/2021 at 11:30:02

The Hawk-Eye Gazette
Burlington, Iowa
June 28, 1957

Funeral Services Monday For Mrs. Phyllis Walker

Funeral services for Mrs. Phyllis B. Walker, clerk of the district court who was killed Friday (June 26, 1957) in a car accident south of Baton Rouge, La., will be held at Wallen's chapel at 2 p.m. Monday. The Rev. William F. Keesecker will officiate.

The body is to arrive in Burlington at 5:38 a.m. Sunday and will be taken to Wallen's. Burial will be in Aspen Grove cemetery.

The accident occurred near Gonzales, La., on Highway 61 early Friday, it was reported. Mrs. Walker, 64, and Eula H. Ekdale, 47, secretary of Bonewitz Chericals, who was driving, were returning from New Orleans and an Altrusa club convention.

Miss Ekdale received only minor cuts and bruises.

Mrs. Walker died in a Baton Rouge hospital a short time after the mishap. State Trooper Durrell Matherne who was following the car said it flipped over and Mrs. Walker was pinned underneath.

Paul Bonewitz, head of Bonewitz Chemicals, said he first received word of the tragedy about 9 a.m. Friday. However, Mrs. Walker's office and members of her family were not aware of it until midafternoon, it was reported. The Hawk-Eye Gazette's final edition carried a brief story in the last half.

Mrs. Walker had served as clerk of district court since Nov. 16, 1956, after she was named to fill out the unexpired term of Don Gerdom.

Gerdom is now executive director of the Polk County Society for Crippled Children and Adults at Des Moines.

Mrs. Walker was subsequently appointed to the post for a full 2-year term beginning Jan. 1, 1957. Gerdom had resigned too late for his name to be taken from the ballot and won re-election Nov. 6, 1956. However, he said in a letter to the county board of supervisors that he did not intend to qualify and resigned from the new term. His successor was appointed immediately.

Mrs. Walker served as deputy clerk of district court from 1945 until her appointment as clerk. In all, she had served 18 years in the office, since starting work in May of 1939.

She was a widow and is survived by a daughter, Constance A. Walker, a dress designer at Mineapolis, Minn., and a brother, Richard Burrus of Burlington. She was born at St. Louis Oct. 15, 1893, the daughter of the late Robert and Alma Kehr Burrus, and came to Burlington as a child.

Mrs. Walker was a member of the Congregational church and a member of the Altrusa club.