Edith Bessie Walker

Edith Bessie Walker, 95, passed away peacefully on September 4, 2023, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Edith was born on May 16, 1928, in Detroit, Michigan, to James and Dorothy (Jordan) Livermore. She lived in Detroit for the first four years of her life, and then moved to Pleasant Ridge, Michigan, where she spent the remainder of her childhood. She graduated from Lincoln High School in 1946, and received a Bachelor of Arts degree and secondary teaching certificate from the University of Michigan in 1950. In 1984 she was awarded a Master of Arts in Teaching, with a major in English, by Oakland University.

Edith first met her future husband, George Lee Walker, in kindergarten at Roosevelt School in Ferndale, Michigan. George soon moved away, but they were reunited as freshmen at the University of Michigan. They married on September 2, 1950, in Ferndale. The first two years of marriage were spent in Portsmouth, Virginia, where Edith taught sixth and seventh grade. After a short stint in Seattle, Edith and George returned to Michigan in June, 1953, living in Saginaw, Royal Oak, and East Lansing, before eventually settling in Bloomfield Township in 1965.

Edith was a stay-at-home wife and mother until 1966, when she began teaching English at Kimball High School in Royal Oak, Michigan. She particularly enjoyed teaching writing, and was devoted to reviewing and grading her students' journals, often doing so for entire weekends. Upon her retirement in 1990, Edith and George moved to Horse Shoe, North Carolina, returning to Michigan in 1995; first residing in Lapeer, and then in Grand Rapids.

Edith was a remarkable, inspiring woman with a sharp mind and a wonderful sense of humor. She loved literature, and could recite lines from many classic novels and poems. She published her own short-fiction collection, Miss N: A Novella and Coming of Age: A Collection of Stories and Sketches, in 2004, and left behind numerous lovely original poems. She had a beautiful voice and was also an

accomplished pianist who, to the delight of her neighbors, would practice every afternoon in her apartment at the Beacon Hill at Eastgate Retirement Community. Edith also enjoyed listening to classical music, swimming, and collecting miniatures and dolls. She was a member of the Jane Austen Society of North America and 70+ year member of the PEO Sisterhood. Late in life, Edith became increasingly attracted to the Quaker faith. She was committed to social justice causes throughout her life.

Edith will be remembered as a loving wife, sister, mother, and grandmother. She was predeceased by her husband, George Lee Walker, in February 2020. Edith is survived by her sister, Jane J. (Roger) Goodspeed of Freeport, IL; son, Dr. David E. (Susan) Walker of Indianola, WA; daughter Cynthia W. (Todd) Whitney of Nashua, NH; daughter Suzanne W. (Hank) Bonnah of East Grand Rapids, MI; six grandchildren: Benjamin Walker (Chaima Ait Oufkir) of Indianola, WA; Seth Walker (Hollie Fritz) of Issaquah, WA; Zane Whitney of Somerville, MA; Morgan Whitney of Raleigh, NC; Ian Bonnah and Andrew Bonnah of East Grand Rapids, MI; and sister-in-law Barbara Walker of Valhalla, NY.

A Celebration of Life will take place on Saturday, October 7 at 11:00 AM at the Plymouth United Church of Christ, 4010 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to Cure SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) in Edith's memory. Contributions can be made online (curesma.org) or by mail (Cure SMA, 925 Busse Road, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007).