W. Karl Walker

W. Karl Walker, 68, passed away after a life well lived on Friday, February 26, 2016. Karl was the third of four children born to Ward and Rosemary Walker on July 9, 1947 in NE Portland, Oregon. Karl grew up in a close-knit neighborhood of friends and family in the Alameda school district, spending most of his days with a baseball bat or a basketball in hand. Music was also a constant presence and love in his life, from piano lessons at age 6, to playing drums at Rose Festival parades as a teenager, drumming for the church choir, and still drumming with his blues band through his final years. Karl always enjoyed learning, too. He graduated from Portland's Grant High School in 1965 where he excelled in academics and both basketball and baseball. He continued his education at Willamette University on an athletic scholarship from 1965-1967, then attended Oregon State University from 1967-1969 where he developed a passion for architecture, and graduated with a degree in Urban Design from Portland State University in 1970. That same year, Karl met and fell in love with his future wife, Janet Perry, while at Camp Magruder on the Oregon coast. They were married just a year later in Portland, Oregon on August 20, 1971. Karl and Jan moved to Corvallis, Oregon in 1978. There, they raised a family of three children while playing an active role in the lives of countless others. With a soft spoken and laid back approach, Karl was always there to support his kids and any of their friends, whether it was serving as coach, fan, mentor or even father figure when needed. An active community member, Karl will be greatly missed by friends met through his involvement with Corvallis athletics, Corvallis First United Methodist Church, and CH2M Hill to name a few. Karl was preceded in death by his mother and father, and by his brother Kent. He is survived by his wife Jan, daughter Ellie, sons J.J. (Emma) and Jonathan (CeCe), sister Suzie Armentrout, brother Wayne, and grandchildren Diego, Maia, and June. They and many others will remember and deeply miss a friend, brother, husband, father and grandfather who left us a blueprint for life ... thanks King. A memorial service will be held at the Corvallis First United Methodist Church on Sunday, April 3rd at 1:30pm. In lieu of flowers, please send any memorial contributions to American Legion Baseball, 1928 Spicer Wayside SE; Albany, Oregon 97322. Checks should be made out to American Legion Baseball; Stadium Fund I Karl Walker. This fund will go towards the updating of the seating at Taylor Field.

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W. Karl Walker

July 9, 1947 - February 26, 2016