Obituary -- Dorothy Jane "Janie" Walker 1927-2020

Dorothy Jane “Janie” (Davidson) Walker passed December 4, 2020; 4 days after her 93rd birthday. She was born November 30, 1927 in Eagleville MO to Donald H. and Flora (Skelton) Davidson. Her father Donald was a superintendent of schools and she attended many elementary schools in NW Missouri and also in Southern Missouri. She especially loved the years the family spent in Alton and Steelville Missouri. She graduated from Hatfield (MO) high school in 1945. She attended the University of Missouri graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in 1950 and a Master’s degree in 1951. She then moved to and began teaching high school in Albany Missouri, where she met and married Raymond Walker in 1952. They later divorced. She and her family moved to Kansas City where she taught at West Junior High School. In 1958 she took a teaching position in the women’s PE department at Northwest Missouri State Teachers College (now NW Missouri State University) retiring in 1987. When she started at Northwest, the women’s gym was under the old auditorium in the Administration Building. The Men’s Gym at that time was in what is now Martindale. During her years at NW she taught many classes and was the first instructor at NW in Archery and fencing. For many years she was on the National Board of Outdoor Recreation for Archery along with Fred Bear founder of Bear Archery. She was also the NW womens’ volleyball and basketball coach in the early 60’s and brought power volleyball to NWMSU. For several years in the late 60’s she was on the seeding committee for the NCAA Women’s Volleyball National Championship Tournament. 

She was a lifetime official in both volleyball and basketball, teaching officiating classes and testing for officials certification. She was the long time sponsor of the NWMSU PE Majors club. Janie, as she was called, loved NWMSU men’s and women’s athletics (MO West, and Central not so much), Olympic sports; (especially track and field attending the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City), travelling and reading. She had traveled to 49 states, Europe, Russia, Egypt, many trips to Mexico and South America including Machu Pichu in Peru which she visited when she was 78 years old. In 2011 she was awarded the Distinguished Faculty Emeritus Award for her years of service at NWMSU. She was a member of the Maryville Presbyterian Church and a former Deacon. Janie was a lifelong Democrat and contributed to the campaign of President Elect Joseph Biden. She was passionate about education and endowed scholarships at the University of Missouri for students from North Harrison High School and Albany Mo High School. She is survived by her son Bruce (Emily) Walker of Raymond WA, grandsons Tyrus (Vala) Walker of Orcas Island WA and Randal Walker of Seattle WA, and 7 great grandsons. The family would like to thank all the staff at Parkdale Manor for their wonderful care of Janie.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions a memorial will be held at a later date. Janie will be buried at the Grant City Cemetery next to her parents. Online condolences can be submitted at www.pricefuneralhomemaryville.com.