Irene "Renee" Yunick Walker

Irene “Renee” Yunick Walker was born in Philadelphia, PA on September 5, 1925. Having a less than ideal childhood, she left home at an early age. Renee was a strong person, a survivor. She provided for herself, despite the lingering effects of the Great Depression and later the commencement of WWII. When she went to “pin the wings” on her brother, Henry “Smokey” Yunick, at his flight school graduation in Marfa, Texas, prior to his WWII deployment, she met her future husband, and our father, William H. “Bill” Walker.

After our father returned from his tour of duty as a pilot in the Third Photo Squadron, they reunited and were married in Atlanta, Georgia in June, 1946. During our father’s long career with Sears, Roebuck, Renee was a stay-at-home Mom. She loved her husband and her two sons, Johnny and Randy, more than her life itself, and accordingly, devoted her life to them. Her dream, as a young adult, was to run an orphanage. When that dream did not materialize, she refocused her energy to ensure that she did the best possible job raising two boys. After we left the nest, Renee overachieved in her advertising career at Dallas Fashion Retailer, a magazine for the apparel industry. In her autumn years, through a mission trip to Peru, sponsored by Christ Church of Plano, Renee was able to accomplish part of her dream - working at a local orphanage.

Renee led her life in the light and the ways taught to us by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Early on, our parents selected the Episcopal Church as the family’s faith destination. They were active in the church, not only as parishioners, but also as church officers. Taking Mom to church, in her later years, will always be one of Randy’s favorite lifetime memories. They had wonderful talks on the drives to and from Faith Church in Fairview.

With our father’s career, we transferred to a new city every 5-6 years, moving from Atlanta to Dallas to Lake Charles, to Texarkana and back to Dallas. Renee and Bill built their retirement home in Rockwall, and subsequently moved to Heritage Ranch in Fairview, until Bill’s death in 2013. They enjoyed 66 years of marriage. With the exception of two years, the four members of our family always lived in the same area, which solidified our close knit family unit and allowed us to share the many holidays and other memorable experiences.

Renee’s parents and brother preceded her in death. She is survived by her two sons, Johnny Walker (and wife Dian) and Randy Walker (and wife Julia). Her sons gave her five grandchildren: Sharon Walker Cannon (and husband Colby), Greg Walker (and wife Rachel), Meredith Walker Dickey, JoAnna Walker, and Andrew Walker (and wife Heather). From the grandchildren, Renee was blessed with ten great-grandchildren, and she loved them all.

Renee was respected and loved dearly by those she met. She had a passion for music, particularly polkas and other happy, upbeat songs. She also enjoyed bowling and playing golf. Renee never met a situation that she couldn’t overcome. By her example, she inspired not only her family, but also others with how a life could be lived. If you came to the Walker house, Renee was the one who always made sure you were having a good time and never ran out of food or drink. She loved having company and was often the life of the party, with an unforgettable smile. She and Bill loved to travel – and were fortunate to see much of the world. Her favorite destination was Hawaii. Renee was living proof of the phrase, “All Things are Possible”.

Renee Walker was happy, gracious and a non-complaining soul until her last breath, shortly after her 95 ^th birthday celebration. She is irreplaceable to us. Our love for her is strong and everlasting, just as her love for us was. We can imagine that our father and a crowd of Mom’s closest friends were waiting to greet her and cheering her on, as she approached the Gates of Heaven.

A private family Celebration of Life Service will be held on Sunday, September 27, 2020 at the chapel of Allen Family Funeral Options in Plano, Texas.