Obituary: Neola Walker

Neola started grade school when she was six and attended a one room school, Pleasant View School in Missouri. Neola and Ruth would ride their Shetland pony, to school in their younger years that is whenever the pony wasn’t getting too feisty to ride.

In 1937, when Neola was 14 years old, the family moved to Parkdale, Ore., where Dad got a better job picking pears. They bought a place on Culbertson Drive. She attended Odell High School. Soon after the war broke out and many of the boys went off to war, so the women took over teaching as well as many other duties.

When Neola graduated high school in about 1941, her mother, who use to make most of the girls’ clothing by hand, made her a special red dress (Neola’s favorite color) for her graduation. Neola learned much from her mother, how to cook, sew, garden, and to be mild tempered.

It was during high school when Neola started dating Donald Walker, a quiet young man who had a car, which was probably what attracted her at first. Neola and Donald took frequent drives to town for a hamburger. Donald even taught Neola to drive the car. Neola’s parents were very protective of the girls, and Dad had a mirror on the wall that he could use to see the porch ... so he probably saw every time Donald kissed her goodnight.

On July 9, 1941, Neola married Donald Patrick Walker in Stevenson, Wash. They really enjoyed going for drives and window shopping at various car dealers. Money was really tight and they couldn’t afford a honeymoon, but they were able to buy a house from Don’s grandparents that they were able to fix up and make their home.

Neola started working for Diamond Fruit after they got married, around the end of the war. She drove tractors hauling fruit, packed fruit, and even learned to drive a hyster (forklift) to load and unload fruit from the trucks. She worked at Diamond Fruit Growers for 47 years before retiring.

Neola was a longtime member of the Parkdale Church of the Nazarene and served in different capacities over the years, including being on the church board for many years. She loved her church family and she was loved and respected by all.

Neola loved and enjoyed her family. She loved getting together with family at Christmas time and going on trips with her children during the summer when the orchard work was done. They most always took time to go to stay in a cabin at Lake Chatcolet near St. Maries, Idaho. To Neola, her family was all important to her. She always seemed to be the family matriarch watching over the children and grandchildren, providing for whatever they needed irregardless of the circumstance. The grandkids had a nickname for Grandma. It was Banga, which started when Kim couldn’t say Grandma. The nickname stuck throughout the years and Grandma was just Banga!

The last few years Neola resided at Providence Brookside Manor, as she required physical assistance getting around. Although she would have preferred to have been at home in Parkdale, the staff cared for her and many referred to her as grandma. She also enjoyed the friendship of her close friend Barbara Lowe. Eventually they both would reside at Brookside.

Neola is survived by her daughter Gloria Wilcox and husband Gary of Portland; son Patrick Walker and wife Ruth of Parkdale; son-in-law John Wilson of Salem; six grandchildren, Kimberly, Lisa, Chris, Jeffery, Todd, and Ross; eight great-grandchildren, Nick, Macey, Robert, Ryan, Bruce, Wyatt, Karly, and McKenna; and four great-great-grandchildren, Izaiah, Ayden, Riley, and Emerson. Neola was preceded in death by her parents Denver and Adella Harper, her husband Donald Walker, siblings, Ruth Kirby, and Bill Harper, daughter Donna Joy Wilson, and grandson Jay Wilson.

A graveside committal was held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26 at the Upper Valley Cemetery of Parkdale.

Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson’s Tribute Center (Funerals • Receptions • Cremations), 1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River. Visit www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com to leave a note of condolence for the family.