Carolyn Jane (Harpool) Walker was preceded in death by her parents Nell and Guy Harpool, her brothers Bob Harpool and Gene Harpool, her husband of over 50 years, John Walker, and her sons Richard Walker and Jeffrey Walker, her grand-daughter Amy Walker and her daughter-in-law Cathy Sims Walker.

She is survived by her sons John Walker of Branson, Missouri and Kenny Walker of Greenville, South Carolina; and her daughters Susan Fisher and her husband, Daniel of Franklin, Tennessee and Roseanne Shuler and her husband, Jim of Fremont Hills, Missouri. Carolyn also left behind her grandchildren, Nikki Janik and her spouse, Matti of Livingston, Montana; Kourtni Eschelman and her husband, Jere of Navada City,California; James Shuler and his wife, Leslie of Ozark, Missouri; Jeremy Shuler and his spouse, Heidi of Lowell, Indiana; Forest Fisher and his spouse Jessie Reilly of Brooklyn, New York; Richard Fisher of Lebanon, Tennessee; Clint Walker of Greenville, South Carolina; Asa Walker and his wife, Haley of Greenville, South Carolina; Sidney Ball and his partner, Mary of Carthage, Missouri and Tyler Walker and his wife, Hailey of Joplin, Missouri. She also left behind 12 great-grandchildren.

Carolyn lived her entire life in Springfield MO, and almost 70 years in the same house her husband, John built for them shortly after WWII ended. Growing up, her family moved around a lot in Springfield, so she liked the continuity of that well-built westside home.

In a memoir she wrote a few years ago she described herself as a very shy girl. She grew up attending College Street Baptist Church and most of her social outlets took place there, even after she was married. Years later she and her husband attended Macedonia Baptist Church and participated in their senior group, and she sang in the choir.

Carolyn had a young, active body almost her entire life. She birthed and raised six children, with 22 years between the oldest and youngest. She had a lot of anxious energy and if she was sitting down for very long, she would start tapping and twisting her foot. She even went to work as a WalMart Greeter when she was in her 70s just for fun.

She spent her life focused on the happiness of her children and grandchildren. She read to all her kids from a young age, teaching them the pleasure of a story and she liked to sing simple tunes and hymns, sharing her porch swing. She was not demanding with her own needs but would quietly go to battle for one of her children. She taught her kids by the activities she assigned them. She would send you to the store to buy a few food items and tell you cookies could be bought if change left over. She volunteered one child every year to collect for the neighborhood March of Dimes to help that daughter overcome her shyness. She loved to listen to her two sons that played the trumpet.

She encouraged her children to find part time jobs from a young age and then taught them the value of tithing and saving for special things with the remaining funds. She wanted her children to take pride in their appearance and every year made sure there was a new Easter dress, bonnet and shoes for her daughters, even though she wore the same Easter outfit repeatedly.

She loved her brothers and their families. Her last couple years she lived at the Cambridge Independent Living in Springfield and was still making new friends and loved their friendly staff.

Only a few days before she died, Carolyn Walker said she was ready to go home, that she was not afraid and had lived a good, long life.