Lake County, IN Obituary


           Entered into Eternal Rest Sunday, Aug. 8, 1965

Walker, 83, Engineer, Dies Here
Charles J. Walker, Sr., 83, traffic and industrial construction expert 
and Gary traffic engineer from 1944-52, died Sunday in Mercy Hospital.  
His home was at 667 Pierce St.
Walker came to Gary in 1910 as master mechanic and electrical super-
intendent at American Bridge Co. division of U.S.Steel Corp.  He was a 
graduate of Lafayette College in Pennsylvania.
In 1917 he was placed in charge of building and operating the American 
Bridge ordnance plant for production of 155 mm and 240 mm guns and 
howitzers. After the forge plant closed down in 1922, Walker became an 
engineering consultant for industrial construction and operation. From 
1932 to 1934 he was an assistant resident engineer in the Public Works 
Administration and supervised construction of hospitals, schools and 
other public structures all over Indiana.
He returned to the consulting field after that tour of duty until the 
early days of World War II when he went to Canada to supervise 
construction and operation of ordnance plants. Walker initiated the 
first city-wide traffic survey here in 1937 and in 1942 was appointed 
city building commissioner by then Mayor Joseph Finerty.  He became 
traffic engineer two years later.
While traffic engineer he sponsored the model traffic ordinance and 
pushed it through in spite of opposition.  He also induced the state 
to make a survey for a proposed U.S. 12-20 bypass, initiated the far 
side bus stop and introduced the electric speed counter.
Walker married the former Cecelia Kirk, daughter of John Kirk, for whom 
the Kirk Yards of the EJ&E were named, in 1912.  They celebrated their 
golden wedding anniversary in September of 1962.
In addition to his wife, Walker is survived by three sons, William of 
Syracuse, N.Y.; Charles, Jr., of Gary and John of Anaheim, Calif.; five 
daughters, Mrs. George Miko of Hobart; Mrs. Charles Ventura of 
Middletown, Pa.; Mrs. H.C.Alm of Hickam Air Base, Hawaii; Mrs. Walter 
Kovalevsky, Woodside, Long Island, N.Y. and Mrs. M. J. Fisher of 
Anaheim; two brothers, Norbert and William of Ambler, Pa.; three 
sisters, Miss Loretta Walker of Ambler; Mrs. Alex Ceedon of Hartford, 
Conn., and Mrs. John Waters of Philadelphia, Pa.; and 30 grandchildren 
and six great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 8:30 a.m.  Wednesday in Burns Memorial 
Chapel with mass at 9:30 a.m. at Holly Angels Cathedral with the Rev. 
John C. Witte officiating.  Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery.  The 
rosary will be recited at 8 p.m. Tuesday.  Friends may call after 2 p.m. 
Tuesday.


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Submitted by:  Rita Pokracki, Anaheim, California (Granddaughter)
Email:  reetzp@aol.com