Mass of Christian Burial for Edward Walker age 86 of McLaughlin will be 10:00 AM MDT Tuesday, October 3, 2017 at St. Bernard's Catholic Church. Interment will be in McLaughlin City Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. Visitation will be Monday, October 2, 2017 at 5:00 PM with a rosary at 6:00pPM MDT at the church. Edward passed away Thursday, September 28, 2017 at the Good Samaritan Center in Selby, SD.

Ed was born on May 18, 1931, on a farm near Selfridge, ND. He was the 4th child born to Christina (Oswald) and Samuel Walker. The family moved to Hazelton, ND. These were hard times for them. His Dad went to California looking for work in the vineyards, and he fell and died in Lodi, California. Leaving his wife and children in Hazelton. At that time Ed was four years old. At the age of seven his Mom passed away. The other brothers and sisters were farmed out to relatives but Ed and Reinold were actually orphans. They started walking back to Selfridge on a cold December night Ed says it was dark and the coyotes were howling and they were scared. At that time the war had started and gas and rubber were very high or you couldn't get it. At the Cannon Ball bridge a man picked them up and took them to an uncle in Selfridge. The uncle had a family of his own so Ed and Violet were farmed out to Rose and Adolph Hamon who lived several miles to the north. They worked in the fields and went to a country school. When Ed reached high school age they let him go to McIntosh to live with Adolph's mother until he was a junior and moved to Reinhold and Martha's farm west of McLaughlin. Ed graduated from McLaughlin High School in 1949. Ed began teaching school at Reinboldt Country School near Trail City. His teaching there was short lived as he was recruited into the Army.

He went to Infantry School and became a paratrooper in Basic Airborne where earned his parachute badge. While he was in Kentucky he met and married Virginia Baker in 1953. He was discharged in Jan. of 1954. He then went on to Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro, Kentucky. To this union four daughters were born. Ed took up photography in college and travelled with the athletic dept. taking pictures.

They moved to McLaughlin and Ed was a John Deere salesman and later went back to college at Northern State University. Ed taught social studies many years in Fort Yates and then McLaughlin.

Ed was on the City Council and first elected Mayor in 1966. Serving a total of 25 years. While being mayor the streets in the city were paved and the city had its own garbage and disposal and owns and operates its own electrical system. An unusual feature of the city's electrical system is that it was installed underground. McLaughlin was possibly the first in the nation to install a complete underground electrical system. Also a large indoor-outdoor public swimming pool. McLaughlin was one of the most unique towns to be a very small community and have what we have. Some of the other projects were building the city park, rebuilding the auditorium after the fire, built a new City Hall, new storm system and the beginning of curb and gutter, installation of sewer and water projects. We also had a sports complex and got the Heritage Center and Library going. Ed was appointed to the SD Air Pollution Control Commission by Gov. Richard Kneip. He was also Vice-President of Municipalities of SD with John Thune.

Ed married Sharon Howe Thompson on Dec. 30th 1986, They made their home in McLaughlin and later moved to the Howe family farm where they were engaged in farming and ranching. Ed was also a carpenter and built many homes or remodeled them. After he had an accident on the farm breaking his neck in five places-he semi-retired. Ed was diagnosed with a cancer tumor in the throat in Feb. 2017 and then it was downhill. He passed away Sept. 28th 2017 at the Good Samaritan Home in Selby.

Ed is survived by his three daughters; Tamara (Tim) Holzer of Arlington, SD., Tina (Jim) Donoho, of Delano, MN., Toni Walker of Brookings, SD., his wife; Sharon Walker , Don Walker of McLaughlin, sisters; Violet (Bill) Anderson and Loretta Moser of Sturgis, brother; Sam Walker of Lincoln, NE., half-sisters Louella Stegeman of Wilmer, MN., Louise Jenner, of Fort Peck, MT., seven grandchildren; Tayt, Lea, Erin, Khory, Tess, Trevor, and Sean, five great-grandchildren; Emma, Jaci, Claire, Cameron, Kennedy and a baby boy on the way Grant.

Ed was preceded in death by his parents; infant daughter; brothers; Leo and Reinhold (Martha) sister; Lavina (Henry) Opp. Two step-sons; Troy Lee and Wayne Thompson.