James Walker Obituary

James Otis (Beno) Walker died on March 8, 2006 at his home in Colorado Springs. He was the retired co-owner of Walker Brothers Lumber Company. Beno was born March 31, 1922 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Otis Lawrence and Marian Bausman Walker. He grew up in Casper, Wyoming where his father owned a lumber yard. Beno attended Natrona County schools in Casper and graduated from the Choate School in Wallingford, Connecticut in 1941. He entered the University of Colorado and joined the Navy's V-12 program. Prior to graduation, Beno went on active duty with the Navy's Seabee's. He returned to CU after the War, and graduated in June 1947 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. After CU, Beno worked in California as a project engineer for the Bechtel Construction Company and also worked as an oil and gas landman in Casper. He married Prudence Peacock on November 22, 1952 in Omaha, Nebraska. In 1955, Beno and Prudence moved to Colorado Springs where Beno and his brother Dick started Walker Brothers Lumber Company. Beno and Dick operated the lumberyard until 1994, when it was sold to BMC West. Beno was an avid skier, fisherman and golfer. He served as the President of the Mountain States Lumber Dealers Association, and as President of the Board of Directors of the Diabetes Education Center. He was active for a number of years on the Economic Development Committee of the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce, and was a member of the North Colorado Springs Rotary Club. He served on the Board of Directors for Colorado Outward Bound School, Colorado Springs Symphony and the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. Beno is survived by his wife, Prudence; son, Huntington Walker and his wife Carol of Denver; and daughter, Lisa Duke and her husband Charles of Englewood; brother Thaddeus of Casper; and seven grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 2pm on Wednesday March 15 at Chapel of Our Saviour, 8 Fourth Street, Colorado Springs In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, P. O. Box 60730, Colorado Springs, CO 80960; Pikes Peak Hospice Foundation, 825 E. Pikes Peak Ave., Suite 600, Colorado Springs, CO 80903; or a charity of one's choice.