Donald Eugene Walker, 84, of Butler, died on Monday, Sept. 12, 2022, at Montgomery Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Taylor Springs.
Visitation will be held Monday, Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Hough and Sons Funeral Home in Hillsboro. Funeral services will follow, beginning at 12 p.m. at the funeral home with the Rev. Randy Sands officiating. Burial will be held at Wares Grove Cemetery in Butler with full military rites.
Mr. Walker was born Feb. 15, 1938, in Farmersville, to Melvin H. and C.M. Margaret (Allen) Walker. He married Barbara Ann Barnett on July 22, 1956, and she survives.
He graduated from Girard High School and served in the U.S. Army from 1956 to 1964.
During his career, Mr. Walker worked as a farmer, carpenter and bulldozer operator. He served on the Pork Producers for 12 years and has been a member of the Montgomery County Fair Board since 1998. He had built many of the buildings on the fairgrounds, as well as the pulling track and the demo arena.
He was an integral part of the Butler Homecoming from 1971 to 2018, and was organizer of the truck and tractor pulls from 1971 to 2018. He served on the Butler Village Board for two years, and was a member of the First Baptist Church from 1966 to the early 1980s. He currently attended the Free Methodist Church in Hillsboro. He was a member to the American Legion and was a member of the Montgomery County Farm Bureau from 1966 to 1981.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Walker is survived by his children, Debra (Roger) Compton, Diane I. Walker, both of Edwardsville, Wendy Ballhurst of Butler and Brenda L. (Bill) Krieger of Ft. Myers, FL; six grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Margaret (Ray) Serati of Springfield and Dorothy (Fred) Fillback of Batchtown.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one son in infancy; grandson, Benjamin Ballhurst; and sister, Marjorie H. Walker.
Memorials may be directed to the Butler Community Center. Online condolences to the family may be left at www.houghfuneralhome.com.
