Joe Walker

Tupelo--Joe C. Pete Walker, 84, of Tupelo, Mississippi, died September 17, 2010 at Darlington Oaks Hospice, after an extended illness. Mr. Walker was born in Plantersville, Mississippi on December 3, 1925, to Charles Cleon Walker and Hattie Stovall Walker. His mother died while Mr. Walker was very young and he was raised to maturity by his father and step-mother, Sarah Clay Whitehead Walker. He attended school in Plantersville and Hurley, New Mexico and he joined the U.S. Navy in 1943. He served as a Fire Control Technician on the destroyer USS Hadley (D.D.774) and was a veteran of the battle of Okinawa. On May 11, 1945, the Hadley was subjected to heavy attack from Japanese warplanes. The Hadley gun crews succeeded in shooting down 23 Japanese planes, before a bomb hit and two Kamikaze hits forced abandonment of the ship. Mr. Walker was wounded and he was awarded the Purple Heart. The Hadley crew received the Presidential Unit Citation for their service on May 11. After World War II, Mr. Walker served for three years aboard the destroyer, USS Orleck, which made three Western Pacific cruises, stretching from the Arctic Circle to India, with frequent stops in Occupied Japan. Later in his Navy career, Mr. Walker served as an instructor in the electronics and guided missile program schools at Bainbridge, Maryland and he was an instructor with Fleet Training Group in San Diego, California from 1958-1962. He retired from active duty in 1964, after which he worked with Whits Music in Tupelo, for a number years and he worked in insurance sales. He was an avid hunter, marksman, fisherman, and amateur gunsmith.

Services will be at 11 a.m. on Friday, September 24, 2010 at the Jefferson Street Chapel of W.E. Pegues.

He is survived by three children, Barry J. Walker (Holly) of Tupelo, Mississippi, Sonya L. Walker of Forest Park, Illinois, and USAF Col. Jon W. Walker (Melody) of Tokyo, Japan, a sister, Brenda Walker of Plantersville, Mississippi, and five grandchildren, Kelly Walker Bost (Ty) of Tupelo, Mason Walker of Jacksonville, Florida, Macon Walker of Burke, Virginia, Joseph Walker and Mary Catherine Walker of Tokyo, Japan.

Mr. Walker was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Bobbie S. Cantrell Walker.

Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association or the American Cancer Society.