M. Clyde Walker Obituary -

M. Clyde Walker passed away in his sleep late on July 5, 2016. A loving husband, nurturing father and grandfather, and dedicated member of the LDS Church, Clyde was just a few weeks away from marking 85 years of dependability, compassion, wisdom, and constant hard work. 

He loved his family, “big band” music, Dutch oven cooking, ballroom dancing and floorshows, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, woodworking, waterskiing and boating, BYU football, providing a shoulder to lean on to countless young men, and serving whenever an opportunity presented itself.

Clyde was born August 2, 1931 in Grant, ID to M.W. “Mike” and Maple Walker. Raised in a family of six, he spent his early years in Southeastern Idaho, graduating from Roberts High School in 1949. As a young adult, Clyde enjoyed an internship in San Francisco at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel, where he acquired his unique flare for cooking. He then joined the U.S. Navy as a cook and served for four years on ship and shore during the Korean conflict in Japan, the Philippines, and San Diego. He returned to Rigby, ID to work in the restaurant business with his parents.

Shortly after returning to Rigby he met his sweetheart, Alice Ann Jensen. After a brief courtship, they were married in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple and built a home in Rigby, where over the next several years they welcomed seven children. Clyde saw great success in the restaurant business opening Walker’s Cafe in Shelley, ID, Mack’s Inn (Island Park, ID in 1972 and 1975), and Walker’s Townhouse in Idaho Falls.

In 1976 Clyde relocated his family to Orem, Utah and continued the same line of work, managing The Plank House and Old Dan Tucker’s (Orem) and eventually retiring as Food Service Director for ZCMI in 1996. In Idaho and Utah, he served in the church as a bishop, branch president at the Provo MTC, agent bishop, in several bishoprics, temple worker, in multiple youth callings, and blessed many families as a 100 percent home teacher. With Alice, he served full-time missions in Hawaii, the Philippines, and Las Vegas, NV, and provided Chuckwagon support for the commemorative LDS pioneer wagon train in 1997.

Clyde is survived by his wife Alice, his brother Newell, his 7 children (Ronda Weaver, Sheri Gibb, Brett Walker, Maria Wiscombe, Craig Walker, Vicki Birkeland, and Scott Walker), 23 grandchildren, and 14 great grandchildren.

A viewing will be held Saturday, July 9, 2016 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Cherry Hill 5th Ward LDS Church (140 East 2000 South, Orem). A second viewing will take place Monday, July 11, 2016 at Eckersell Memorial Chapel (101 W. Main Street Rigby, ID) from 10:00 a.m. to noon. Graveside services and internment will follow at the Lewisville Cemetery. 

In lieu of flowers, Clyde would want you to “take your family out to a good Mom and Pop restaurant” or make a donation to Primary Children’s Hospital. Thanks for the memories.

My parents on July 1, 2016