Hilda Kimsey Walker

Hilda Kimsey Walker was born April 10, 1924 in Gainesville, Georgia to Eva Bell Kimsey and Mark Kimsey. On Sunday, May 26, Hilda, then 95, went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As had been her recent custom, she took a nap after breakfast, but on that day she awoke in heaven.

Hilda was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 65 years, John William Walker, her afore-mentioned parents, and her sister, Mary Carreker. She is survived by her daughter, Nancy McDonald (husband Mickey) of Shreveport, Louisiana, son Johnny Walker (wife Ceresa) of Lafayette, Louisiana, son Kim Walker (wife Kimi) of Houma, Louisiana, sister Carolyn Griffith of Athens, Georgia, seven grandchildren and sixteen great grandchildren.

Hilda loved her early life in Gainesville. She graduated from Gainesville HS and Brenau College, where she was President of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. After graduation, she married her high school sweetheart, John Walker, who had just returned from serving in WWII. They continued to live in Gainesville while John attended Georgia Tech majoring in electrical engineering. During those years, Hilda was employed by WDUN radio where she wrote, produced, directed and performed five radio shows per day, the most well-known of which was Breakfast with Hub and Hilda.

Following John’s graduation, the couple moved to Houma, Louisiana where John began a long career with Schlumberger. That career eventually took them to Lake Charles, Louisiana where Hilda made a home for John and their three children.

In Lake Charles in1961, Hilda started her own business, Happyland Kindergarten, in their home. For 26 years, she taught and loved countless young lives, many of whom stayed in contact with her, a testimony to the influence she had on them.

Hilda and John attended Oak Park United Methodist Church for many years where she taught Sunday School classes for the youth. She loved her Lord Jesus and was bold in sharing her faith with anyone who would listen (and even some who did not want to listen!) Every morning when her children would awaken, they would see their mother in the living room reading her Bible and praying. Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) began its Lake Charles chapter with a prayer group that met in that very same living room.

It is fitting that Hilda be returned to her beloved Gainesville to be buried beside John at this time of the year. She loved spending her summers there canning beans, picking and eating peaches, and making biscuits for the family. Summers also included an annual trip to the beach at Destin where Maw (Hilda) and Papa (John) would rent a house for the whole family to gather.

A graveside service will be held on Friday, May 31, at 11:00AM at Alta Vista Cemetery in Gainesville under the direction of Memorial Park North funeral home. Hilda’s Nephew, Ft. Michael Carreker will officiate.

Memorial Park North Riverside Chapel 989 Riverside Drive Gainesville, GA 30501 www.memorialparkfuneralhomes.com .