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They met in 1985 while working in the Southeastern
Program Service Center. She was a secretary; he was
a benefit authorizer. "I knew when I saw him that
he was the one for me," said Judy Walker. "He
had a wonderful voice, and I liked his confident walk.
So I asked him out for dinner." That dinner was
the first step to the altar for Judy and Bob Walker.
They married a year later.
In 1988, a pilot teleservice center opened in Birmingham,
Ala. Bob and Judy accepted positions as technical assistant
and teleservice rep, respectively. Then, in 1989, they
both went to help open the Albuquerque TSC. "We
were a package deal," said Judy " While at
the Albuquerque TSC, Bob and I helped paint a mural
depicting hot air balloons on the wall in the main area.
It's still there today."
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To further his SSA career, Bob wanted to get claims experience.
So both Walkers applied for claims rep positions. "Bob
was selected for the Oklahoma City DO," said Judy -- "To
go with him, I took a downgrade to a service rep. Then this
past December, I was selected for a claims rep position. I started
a class at the Dallas Regional Training Center in February.
"I had an apartment there, and Bob and I would visit on
most weekends."
It was while she was attending class that Judy heard about the
bomb blast at the federal building in Oklahoma City. She flew
home on the first available flight. "I didn't realize the
magnitude of the blast until I got into the airport and saw
the TV coverage," Judy said. "When I saw the building,
I knew that everyone did not get out." Judy and a friend
went from hospital to hospital trying to find Bob. "Bob
had had heart surgery last June," Judy said. "So I
knew he needed his daily medication. Each day that went by was
harder and harder. We kept hoping there was a chance he would
make it." Bob's mother, sister and brother came from Florida
to wait with Judy Three of their children from previous marriages
also arrived from out of state. They all spent a lot of time
at the center established for the families of victims. Finally,
on May 2, almost two weeks after the blast, rescuers found Bob's
body in the rubble of the building that had once housed the
DO.
"It's been hard," said Judy. "But
the agency has been wonderful to me. Everyone has offered support."
"Bob was well known throughout the Birmingham and Albuquerque
TSCs," Judy continued. "It was comforting to find
the many friends who attended the memorial service. just their
physical presence was important to us."
Bob was buried in Leeds, Ala., about 20 miles east of Birmingham.
"That's where we always called home," said Judy. Bob
was born in Jacksonville, Fla., in 1942. He attended the University
of Florida. He was an Eagle Scout and active in scouting for
46 years. He was a Mason and a Shriner, performing fund-raising
activities to benefit the burned and crippled children's fund.
Bob also served as assistant district commissioner and unit
commissioner for the Will Rogers District in Oklahoma City.
He joined SSA in 1980.
Judy reminisced about how Bob enjoyed working on his computer
at home. "We also loved to just jump in the car and travel
across the states sightseeing," she said. "We had
recently purchased a motorhome and were looking forward to using
it for family reunions and vacations."
Bob is survived by one son, three stepsons, one stepdaughter,
and 12 grandchildren. "Recently, when I attended the funeral
of co-worker Mike Thompson, I finally saw many of my co-workers,"
Judy told OASIS. "They were the most beautiful faces I
have ever seen. I lost Bob, I lost many friends, but I'm very
thankful for the ones I didn't lose." |
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