Wanda June (Barrager) Walker

Wanda June (Barrager) Walker, 88 of Schulenburg, formerly of Independence, Kansas, passed away Wednesday night, Nov. 11, 2020 at St. David’s Medical Center in Austin.

“June” was born in Caney, Kansas on Feb. 27, 1932 to George and Minnie (Stocker) Barrager, the seventh of nine children. Her parents moved the family 17 times in her first 17 years, all in or near Montgomery County. She married Richard E. Walker on June 11, 1949 in Bentonville, Ark. They raised two children. She was baptized into the 1st Christian Church Disciples of Christ in 1959, later helping start a church in Columbus, Neb. and teaching Sunday School. The couple lived and worked in Independence, Kansas, Austin, Texas, Bangor, Maine, Columbus and Omaha, Neb., and Cushing, Pauls Valley, Shawnee and Bartlesville, Okla., where they retired. They owned and operated a Sinclair Service Station on 10th and Main in Independence. Her favorite job was working as a pharmacy tech at Crabtree Pharmacy in Pauls Valley.

In retirement, June was a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, took college classes, researched family genealogy and wrote family history with her sisters which necessitated learning to use a computer. She loved her family, especially her grandchildren. In 2009, Mrs. Walker moved to Houston, after Richard’s death in 2006. In 2011, she made her last move, to Schulenburg, where she enjoyed the friends she made at The Villas Independent Living Community playing bingo, offering staffers suggestions, dining with the residents but hair appointments took precedence over almost any activity. June had many lifelong friendships that she stayed in touch with over the years. Many were like family. Her strong opinions, warm hands, creative descriptions and command of the situation will be missed by all who knew her.

She was preceded in death by her parents and in-laws; husband Richard; three brothers Charles and wife Eleanor, Elmer and wife Doris and Jack Barrager; four sisters Frankie Bryan and husband Lloyd, Louise Hill-O’Neal and husbands Lester Hill and C.P., Thelma Schulze and husband Hugo, Charlotte Wiltse and husband Walter; three nephews and two nieces.

Mrs. Walker leaves behind one sister, Helen Jones of McKinney; her daughter, Rebecca (Becky) L. Berger and husband David of Schulenburg; son Richard (Rick) Eugene Walker, daughter-in-law Sandra Herrera-Walker of McAllen; five grandchildren Adam Jacobson and fiancé Roxy Jones of Phoenix Ariz., Sacha Jacobson and partner Ether Dettmer of Seattle, Wash., Julie Mallett and husband Joshua of Prosper, Texas, Samantha Walker Herrera of Gainesville, Fla., and Sarah Walker of McAllen, Texas; two great-grandsons Stryker Mallett and Elliott Walker-Guerra; and numerous nieces and nephews, grands and greats. Her legacy will be the wealth of stories family and friends will share, keeping her alive in their hearts.

A graveside memorial service for family and friends will be held at Robbins Cemetery in Montgomery County, Kansas, when the coronavirus restrictions are lifted. Preparing her for the final journey home was Koenig-Belvill Funeral Home in La Grange.