Ronald Eugene Walker

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” Matthew 5:9 These words of Jesus Christ described the nature and spirit of the Rev. Ronald Eugene Walker.

Ron was born on November 22, 1942 and was adopted at birth by Roy Emerson and Ruth Olive Walker.  He and his sister Sylvia (Savage) were raised in a loving, godly home near Dodds Bridge, Indiana.  They attended the Dodds Bridge Methodist Church, and he was saved by faith in Jesus at an early age.  He graduated from Graysville High School in 1960 and then enlisted in the U.S. Navy.  He served on the USS Holder (DD 819), a Destroyer which inspected some of the Russian ships removing missiles from Cuba in 1962.  He also served a short time on the USS Haynsworth (DD 700).

Ron was wholly sanctified at the age of 26, having married Mary Ann Land on June 19, 1964.  In 1972 God called both Ron and Mary Ann to be missionaries.  He graduated with honors from Vincennes University with an A.S. in aviation maintenance.  They both studied for ministry at Vennard College, in University Park, Iowa, graduating in 1976 with A.A. degrees in Missions and Bible.  Together they served the Lord as Evangelical Methodist Church missionaries in Bolivia from 1979 – 1991.  Ron used his flight and aviation maintenance training to build relationships in the aviation community of Riberalta, Bolivia (South America), and gained unparalleled respect by local pilots and authorities alike.  He was awarded a certificate of accomplishment by the local Civil Aeronautics director for his contributions to aviation in northeastern Bolivia.  Ron and Mary Ann ministered the Gospel in the town of Riberalta and through aviation in the ranch country of northern Bolivia.  He was a skilled pilot and excellent mechanic.  He flew for some 50 years (over 7,000 hours) without incident.  He also received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award from the Federal Aviation Administration.

When they returned to the United States, they co-managed the Salvation Army Thrift Store in Shelbyville Indiana, where they attended the local Evangelical Methodist Church, and occasionally filled the pulpit of The Salvation Army of Shelbyville.  In 1994, they moved to Flora, Illinois and pastored the Emory Street Evangelical Methodist Church for fourteen years.  During their years in Flora, Ron was active in the Walk to Emmaus and Chrysalis and served as spiritual director for several years.  In 2008 they returned to their hometown of Sullivan, Indiana where Ron managed the Sullivan County Airport for ten years, earning the respect of all who knew him.  Ron simultaneously served as the pastor of Howesville Community Church in Howesville, Indiana, and operated his own aviation maintenance and flight training business.

In 2018, Ron and Mary Ann retired to Hull, Georgia, to live with their son and daughter-in-law, Bill and Lisa Walker.  They were active in the prayer ministry of Cornerstone Church of Athens, Georgia.  They began to get involved in their church as they always did.  The served in small groups and in the prayer ministry.  In October 2020 Ron was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma.  He fought to stay with his family as long as he could, but God called him home on January 19, 2021.

Ron was preceded in death by his loving parents Roy Emerson Walker and Ruth Olive Walker Burke, sister Sylvia Savage of Ogden, Utah and half-sister Manonia Ely.  He is survived by his beloved wife Mary Ann (married for 56 years) of Hull, Georgia, devoted son and daughter-in-law Bill and Lisa Walker of Hull, Georgia, grandsons Donovan and Josiah Walker (Brianna), great grandchildren Javier, Tiella, and Braelyn, unofficially adopted daughter Bonnie Ochs (Chris) Siner, of Farmersburg, Indiana, his half-sisters Carmen McKee of Kissimmee, Florida, Florence (Gary) Shattuck of Lakeland, Florida, Rose Winn of Terre Haute, Indiana, Terrie Weise of Terre Haute, Indiana, nieces Tammy Haefner of Tampa, Florida and Jada Katia of Valrico, Florida (daughters of Manonia) and his half-brother Raymond Goss (Terry) of Randleman, North Carolina.

“He was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”  Hebrews 11:10 Well done, good and faithful servant.  You have fought the good fight, you have finished the race, you have kept the faith.  Thank God for your life and sacrificial love of family.  We will miss you all the days of our lives, but we will meet again in Heaven!

The memorial service was streamed online Sunday January 24, 2021 at 4 pm Eastern Time.  https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10157950568165975&id=561795974

There will be a Celebration of Ron’s life at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday October 23, 2021 at Johnson Cemetery on State Road 63 south, with pastor Mark Bailey officiating. Military Honors will be given by the Sullivan County Honor Guard and a Fly over will be given by area pilots.

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