Marshall Walker was born on February 29, 1944, on Leap Year Day in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He passed away on August 31, 2026, in Kansas City, Missouri, at the age of 82. He was born to Nathaniel Walker and Naomi Williams. He was the third of 12 children and moved with his family as an infant to Kansas City in 1944.
Mr. Marshall Walker received his education in Kansas City, Kansas, and was an alumnus of Sumner High School. He was a self-educated Renaissance man whose knowledge went far beyond what any institution could possibly have offered him. He was a world traveler and a lifelong learner.
Mr. Walker was a Vietnam War veteran and served in the U.S. Air Force. During his service, he was stationed in Taiwan, England, Hawaii, and the continental United States. He played football in high school and went on to excel in martial arts during his time serving our country.
Mr. Walker accepted Christ at a young age and rededicated his commitment to Christ in the early 2000s through his church family, the Church of Christ in Kansas City, Missouri, on Swope Parkway. Shortly thereafter, due to the onset of health challenges, he was unable to attend church physically, so he watched both Pastor Charles Stanley and Pastor Joel Osteen weekly from his home.
One of his favorite Scriptures, and one of his convictions taken from the Bible, was that he was like the thief on the cross during Christ’s crucifixion. The thief deserved to be there because of his many sins, mistakes, and transgressions, but he asked God to remember him, even though he felt in his heart that he did not deserve forgiveness.
Another Scripture that he constantly referenced was that he “had to get his house in order,” from Isaiah 38:1 and 2 Kings 20:1 (KJV).
Mr. Walker had a very long career as a sales representative for WS Life and retired after more than 40 years of service. He was well respected and admired throughout the Kansas City area during his career.
Mr. Walker enjoyed watching movies, listening to music, and having meaningful conversations with both the people he loved and strangers he met. He spent a great deal of time reading and transcribing his thoughts and opinions on political affairs and other interests. He loved history and getting to the bottom line about the how, when, who, what, and why.
He was a wordsmith, so he chose his words and used them intentionally and purposefully. One thing was for sure: with him, you never had to guess where you stood.
Lastly, in his own words, Mr. Walker wanted you to know that he had three children—Marshall, Donzell, and Stephanie, whom he affectionately called “Smokee”—“that he loved more than his own life.”
My Dad was so intentional that he wrote most of his own obituary. (Smile.)
He is survived by his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, siblings, and many other family members and friends.
He was preceded in death by his father, Nathaniel Walker; mother, Naomi Moses; stepfather, Charles R. Moses; two brothers, Nathaniel Jr. and Roland Walker; and one sister, Kathleen Nelson.
