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William Walker
Beacon contributor remembered for ‘common sense’
By FREEMAN ROGERS
frogers@bvibeacon.comWilliam Walker, a long-time Virgin Islands resident who contributed frequently to The BVI Beacon, died suddenly on April 15 at his West End home. He was 75.
Mr. Walker, who was born in Montreal, Canada, in 1937, first visited the Virgin Islands with his wife Anne in 1976 after a friend recommended the territory as a snorkeling destination, Ms. Walker said.
They returned frequently thereafter, and built a house in West End in 1980.
While working for a Canadian firm, the McGill University trained engineer helped establish the territory’s first incinerator in Pockwood Pond under then-Chief Minister H. Lavity Stoutt.
“He and his junior engineer came down and did the analysis of the waste stream as produced by the BVI: sorting the garbage themselves, weighing it,” Ms.Walker explained, adding, “They wanted him to become a manager of the plant, and he decided that would not be a good idea.”
After the Walkers retired here permanently in 1993, Mr. Walker began volunteering in the community.
As a founding member of the West End Community Centre Committee, he helped plan disaster preparedness drills and host an annual Christmas party for children.
“He had been a member of that group ever since we got started, which was some 19 years ago,” said Charles Benjamin, a fellow member. “He was very, very instrumental in that disaster group — so much so we conducted several simulation exercises at the community centre there.”
Mr. Walker also volunteered to run the regatta village at the BVI Spring Regatta for several years.
“He was just a very handy person and a great resource, because you could always call on him,” BVISR Chairman Bob Phillips said. “You might get a sarcastic reply, but there was common sense behind it. I would guess that’s Bill’s legacy, is a lot of common sense.”
In recent years, Mr. Walker brought his common sense to bear regularly on this newspaper’s opinion page. In his frequent and often sharply critical commentaries, he used his engineer’s perspective to analyse government projects such as the new hospital, the planned airport expansion, and the cruise ship pier.
Besides his wife, Mr. Walker is survived by son Bruce Walker, daughter Kathleen Dennis-Walker and two granddaughters. A memorial service will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Zion Hill Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, the Walkers request that donations be made to the BVI Humane Society.
The BVI Beacon, Thursday April 25th, 2013: Page 23.
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