Colonel Norman B. Walker

HIDEAWAY — Colonel Norman B. Walker, USAF, retired, succumbed on June 16, 2023 at age 90 from his long struggle with complications of Parkinson’s, presumably resulting from his exposure of Agent Orange in Vietnam. Norm was the middle of three sons, born to H.A. and Zel Walker on September 21,1932 near Minden, LA, where he attended school and worked on the family’s small , hardscrabble subsistence farm until he enrolled in Louisiana Tech University. As a distinguished graduate of the ROTC program, he entered active duty in the Air Force and pilot training in Texas. Subsequent assignments took him to Arizona, Oklahoma, California, New York, Nevada, Hawaii, Japan, Ohio, Philippines, Vietnam, Maryland, and the Pentagon, plus temporary duty in many other locations. After a challenging – career, during which he completed a graduate degree, he retired from the Air Force, then worked with several international aviation-associated companies for the next 15 years. After caring for his wife, Betty Tucker Walker, until her death from early onset Alzheimer’s, Norm relocated from Virginia to Louisiana to care for his aged parents. A few year later, he renewed acquaintance with Patricia McWhorter Cowden, a childhood buddy whom he had not seen for 47 years, and who had previously lost her mate. They rekindled old romantic affections and married, resulting in a combination of 5 children, 10 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren. After both Norm and Pat retired, they moved to Hideaway, TX, near Tyler, where they were active in the Hideaway Lake Community Church, while caring for aged parents in Louisiana. Norm served in the church for various capacities, including several years on the Executive Board. He also volunteered for a number of years as docent, camp director, curator, and member of the Board at the Historic Aviation Memorial Museum in Tyler. Norm was preceded in death by his wife, Betty; his daughter Petria Lynn Richards; older brother, Paul Dudley; two sons in law, Patrick Richards and Keith Cedras; as well as other family members. He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Patricia Walker; son, Kevin Walker and wife, Joni of Phoenix, AZ; brother B.D. Walker; step-daughter, Constance Cedras of Blacksburg, VA; step-son, Kyle Cowden and wife, Dala of Flower Mound, TX; step-daughter, Stacy Cowden Brown of Alexandria, VA; 6 granddaughters, 4 grandsons, 4 great-granddaughters, and 5 great-grandsons. A memorial service will be held at Hideaway Lake Community Church in Hideaway, TX on July 7th at 2:00 PM. He will be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. Remembrances may be made to a charity of choice, or to the Historic Aviation Memorial Museum in Tyler, TX.