ELMER WALKER, Obituary

MISSOULA Elmer Clifford Walker, 75, died Monday, Aug. 12, 2002, at Fort Harrison due to complications from cancer.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the Sunset Memorial Funeral Home in Missoula. Burial will follow the service at Sunset Memorial Cemetery.

Elmer was born March 15, 1927, on the family farm in Hingham to Christine and Irvin Walker. He was raised on the family farm. When not farming, he worked for the railroad, drove taxi and was a carpenter.

Elmer served in the Army from 1951 to 1953 and spent his duty in France and then returned home and continued to work on the farm.

He married Amelia Strubeck in 1954 in Chinook and was divorced in 1959.

Elmer made his way in 1959 to Missoula, where he met and married Peggy Hereford Strait in 1961. They had two daughters, Tina and Cherri. Cherri was born on his birthday, which was one of the happiest moments of his life. Elmer and Peggy divorced in 1969.

While in Missoula, Elmer worked on numerous jobs with Van Evans, Louisiana Pacific, and several service stations. He also worked as a milkman. He went to work for Roscoe Steel in 1976.

Elmer married Jo Ann Roe in 1976. In 1977, he had several small heart attacks. He left Jo Ann and Roscoe Steel and bought a dairy farm in the Three Mile area. He ran the dairy until his divorce in 1984.

Elmer then moved back to Havre and started raising pigs in Harlem along with his brother-in-law, Frank Huestis, and his nephew, Ray Huestis.

Elmer married Deanna Boe in 1988. They divorced in 1989.

Throughout his marriages, he was proud of the fact that he had a small part in raising approximately 15 children. He loved kids and found joy in acting silly around them to make them smile.

In December 2001 he was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer and fought a brave and courageous fight.

Elmer was preceded in death by his parents, ex-wife Amelia, and his beloved pet dog, Puppy Puppy.

Survivors include his daughters, Tina and her husband Bruce of MIssoula, and Cherri of Frenchtown; sisters, Margaret Huestis and Mildred English of Havre, Dorothy (Gary) Butcher of Bozeman, Vyonne Mosher of Stevensville; brothers, Clyde (Mary Ann) Walker of Great Falls and Edward (JoAnn) Walker of Missoula; two grandsons and a granddaughter; and numerous nieces, nephews and stepchildren.

Memorials may be made to Ft. Harrison VA Hospital in Helena or to a donor's choice.