John Walker: 1942-2017
John Minot Walker, Jr., beloved faculty member of 40 years at Episcopal, was remembered at a service in Callaway Chapel on May 20.
Longtime faculty member John Walker, who retired in 2009, died on May 2, 2017, as a result of complications from Parkinson's disease. A celebration of Mr. Walker’s life will take place on May 20 at 1:30 p.m. in Episcopal’s Callaway Chapel. The following announcement was sent by email to the extended Episcopal community on May 3:
It is with sadness that I share the news of the death of John Minot Walker, Jr., of Alexandria, Va., on May 2, 2017. Mr. Walker died at the age of 74 as a result of complications from Parkinson’s disease.
Mr. Walker taught, coached, mentored, and inspired thousands of students during his 40-year tenure at Episcopal. He wore many hats — teacher, assistant headmaster, assistant head for student life, director of admissions, honor committee advisor, and more — and was many things to the countless people with whom he crossed paths.
“In my thirty years at Episcopal, I can think of no one who had a bigger yet quieter impact on this school—big, because every single action John took or decision he made was aimed at our highest ideals, such as honor and kindness, and quiet, because John always deflected any praise for his accomplishments towards students and colleagues. His ability to draw the best out of those around him, through his own humble example, stands unparalleled,” says English teacher Whit Morgan, whose connection to Mr. Walker dates back to 1987.
A native of New York City, Mr. Walker joined the Episcopal faculty in 1969, just four years after graduating from Middlebury College, where he was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and the president of his senior class. He later earned his Master’s Degree in Liberal Studies from Georgetown University.
He began his career on The Holy Hill as an English teacher, and in 1974 he was named assistant headmaster. In 1979, he left to serve two years as headmaster of Adirondack Mountain School in Long Lake, New York. Mr. Walker returned to Episcopal in 1981, where he would remain until his retirement almost 30 years later.
Following five years serving as assistant head for student life, Mr. Walker was named director of admissions, where he was instrumental in bringing the “First 48” female students to Episcopal in 1991. In 1998, new Headmaster Rob Hershey asked Mr. Walker to return to his role as assistant head for student life, where he served until his retirement in 2009.
Mr. Walker’s loyalty to and impact on Episcopal is immeasurable and spans generations. Students chose to dedicate “Whispers” to him in 1979 and 2002 — 23 years apart. His students will remember his love of poetry and the sound of his voice quoting verses of Shakespeare, Frost, and Eliot from memory. Mr. Walker also loved the lakes and the woods of the Adirondacks where he spent many summers at a cabin in Long Lake, as well as hiking in the High Peaks.
Mr. Walker is survived by his wife, longtime former EHS faculty member Jackie Maher; his two sons, John Walker and his wife Susan, and Pete Walker and his husband Steve Boschen; his sister Trudy Walker; his former wife Nancy Lyons; three grandchildren, Jackson, Adelaide and Ella Walker; and seven step-grandchildren, Nick, Molly, and Jack Muoio; Anna Cahill, and Emma Holt ’12, Sophie Holt ’15 and Greta Holt ’17.
A celebration of Mr. Walker’s life will take place on May 20 at 1:30 p.m. in Episcopal’s Callaway Chapel. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to support financial aid at Episcopal or to ADK Action for Adirondack conservation.
Please join me in prayer for Mr. Walker and his family:
O God of grace and glory, we remember before you this day our brother John. We thank you for giving him to us, his family and friends, to know and to love as a companion on our earthly pilgrimage. In your boundless compassion, console us who mourn. Give us faith to see in death the gate of eternal life, so that in quiet confidence we may continue our course on earth, until, by your call, we are reunited with those who have gone before; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Yours,
Back
Dear EHS Community,
It is with sadness that I share the news of the death of John Minot Walker, Jr., of Alexandria, Va., on May 2, 2017. Mr. Walker died at the age of 74 as a result of complications from Parkinson’s disease.
Mr. Walker taught, coached, mentored, and inspired thousands of students during his 40-year tenure at Episcopal. He wore many hats — teacher, assistant headmaster, assistant head for student life, director of admissions, honor committee advisor, and more — and was many things to the countless people with whom he crossed paths.
“In my thirty years at Episcopal, I can think of no one who had a bigger yet quieter impact on this school—big, because every single action John took or decision he made was aimed at our highest ideals, such as honor and kindness, and quiet, because John always deflected any praise for his accomplishments towards students and colleagues. His ability to draw the best out of those around him, through his own humble example, stands unparalleled,” says English teacher Whit Morgan, whose connection to Mr. Walker dates back to 1987.
A native of New York City, Mr. Walker joined the Episcopal faculty in 1969, just four years after graduating from Middlebury College, where he was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and the president of his senior class. He later earned his Master’s Degree in Liberal Studies from Georgetown University.
He began his career on The Holy Hill as an English teacher, and in 1974 he was named assistant headmaster. In 1979, he left to serve two years as headmaster of Adirondack Mountain School in Long Lake, New York. Mr. Walker returned to Episcopal in 1981, where he would remain until his retirement almost 30 years later.
Following five years serving as assistant head for student life, Mr. Walker was named director of admissions, where he was instrumental in bringing the “First 48” female students to Episcopal in 1991. In 1998, new Headmaster Rob Hershey asked Mr. Walker to return to his role as assistant head for student life, where he served until his retirement in 2009.
Mr. Walker’s loyalty to and impact on Episcopal is immeasurable and spans generations. Students chose to dedicate “Whispers” to him in 1979 and 2002 — 23 years apart. His students will remember his love of poetry and the sound of his voice quoting verses of Shakespeare, Frost, and Eliot from memory. Mr. Walker also loved the lakes and the woods of the Adirondacks where he spent many summers at a cabin in Long Lake, as well as hiking in the High Peaks.
Mr. Walker is survived by his wife, longtime former EHS faculty member Jackie Maher; his two sons, John Walker and his wife Susan, and Pete Walker and his husband Steve Boschen; his sister Trudy Walker; his former wife Nancy Lyons; three grandchildren, Jackson, Adelaide and Ella Walker; and seven step-grandchildren, Nick, Molly, and Jack Muoio; Anna Cahill, and Emma Holt ’12, Sophie Holt ’15 and Greta Holt ’17.
A celebration of Mr. Walker’s life will take place on May 20 at 1:30 p.m. in Episcopal’s Callaway Chapel. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to support financial aid at Episcopal or to ADK Action for Adirondack conservation.
Please join me in prayer for Mr. Walker and his family:
O God of grace and glory, we remember before you this day our brother John. We thank you for giving him to us, his family and friends, to know and to love as a companion on our earthly pilgrimage. In your boundless compassion, console us who mourn. Give us faith to see in death the gate of eternal life, so that in quiet confidence we may continue our course on earth, until, by your call, we are reunited with those who have gone before; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Yours,
The Rev. Betsy Gonzalez
Head Chaplain
Episcopal High School
Head Chaplain
Episcopal High School
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