Fort Smith business leader William R. Walker dies

William R. Walker, a Fort Smith native and businessman who was a key player in Fort Smith’s industrial expansion and the expansion of St. Edward Mercy Medical Center, died Sunday. He was 85.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Barbara J. Walker, one son, Bill Steve Walker and wife Lynn of Fort Smith; one daughter, Jane Klein and husband Henry of Memphis, Tennessee, five grandchildren, Max Klein, Alex Klein, Betsy Walker, Lee Walker, and Bill Karsten IV. He was preceded in death by his parents S.R. and Anne McCarty Walker.

Born Dec. 19, 1924, in Fort Smith, Walker graduated from Fort Smith public schools and served three years in the Pacific Theatre of WWII as a member of the U.S. Navy. After the war, he received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Arkansas and began in 1950 a 60-year career with businesses owned by his father and the Little Rock-based Stephens family. Walker would serve on the board of Stephens Inc. for many years.

In 1954 he was employed by Arkansas Oklahoma Gas Co. where he later became president, according to his obit. In 1978, Walker left AOG and became president of Stephens Production Co., a natural gas exploration and production company.

Walker was also known for service on numerous community boards. The community and board service included president of St. Edward Development Corp., St. Edward Board of Trustees, Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce, University of Arkansas Foundation at Fort Smith, Boys Club and Harbor House.

“He was on most of the boards in town at one time or another,” said Bill Steve Walker, his son, and president of Stephens Production.

Walker also was an original member of the Fort Smith Planning Commission and served on boards for the Salvation Army, Town Club, Hardscrabble Country Club, State Chamber of Arkansas, and Merchants National Bank.

Possibly his biggest accomplishment was in raising more than $2 million in the early 1970s to move St. Edward from downtown Fort Smith to the Rogers Avenue campus where it is now located. Walker was fond of saying that many in the community thought he was crazy for moving the hospital so far away from Fort Smith. Now, the sprawling hospital campus is almost in the center of where the city has developed in the past 35 years.

Doug Smith, a Fort Smith attorney and longtime Walker friend, said his former neighbor will best be remembered for his significant contributions to the business community.

“He did an awful lot for the college, UAFS, and was chairman of the foundation. And he did an awful lot for St. Edward,” Smith said. “When the call went out, he was the one who answered.”

Bill Steve Walker said his father was also proud of his work to help begin industrial recruitment in Fort Smith and around the state. When then Fort Smith Chamber President Paul Latture was trying to find a location for Planters Peanuts, it was learned that officials with the company preferred land owned by the company Walker managed. Bill Steve said he and his father and a company attorney were on a hunting trip in Oklahoma. On the way back, Bill Steve was instructed to drive while his father and the attorney worked out the deal to help land the Planters facility.

“There he was, working out this deal in an old hunting truck with bird dogs in the back,” Bill Steve said with a laugh. “He became a real advocate for industrial development in working with his good friend Paul Latture.”

The Planter’s facility was built in what would become known as the Walker Industrial Park.

Smith said Walker “certainly had a good sense of humor, he never spent any time tooting his own horn, and he did a lot for the community, much of which was unsung and unknown.” Most of all, Smith said, Walker should be remembered for doing all he could to make “Fort Smith a good place to live and work.”

Smith and Bill Steve said Walker was most proud of his family, with Bill Steve saying his father had an “intense love” for being with his family and watching his grandchildren grow up.

Bill Steve said he hopes his father’s legacy is one that encourages people to get involved and try to make things better.

“I think he would want you to get involved in your community, … and don’t be afraid to get out there and be involved in the process to raise money for the cause if you really believe in the cause,” he explained.

Funeral Mass will be held 10 a.m., Wednesday (Nov. 24) in the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church with burial to follow in Holy Cross Cemetery all under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Max Klein, Bill Karsten IV, Greg Smith, Doug Smith, Billy England, Jim Alexander, Emon Mahony, Rick Beauchamp, Dudley Flanders and Dr. Neil Crow Jr.

Memorial Contributions may be made to any of the charitable organizations Walker served, or Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Landscape Fund.