Joel Gene Walker died peacefully at home on August 8, 2026. He was 88 years of age. The oldest of four children, Joel was born on December 19, 1937, in Beatrice, Nebraska, to Marion Leroy Walker and Stella Helena Rutt Walker.
After graduating high school, Joel married and, at just 19 years of age, welcomed his firstborn son, with two more sons and a daughter soon to follow. It was while raising four young children and running a farm that Joel first became acquainted with Bible truth. At the age of 24, Joel was contacted by Jehovah’s Witnesses and accepted a Bible study. He quickly began attending meetings & began sharing what he was learning with others. On April 22, 1967, at the age of 29, he dedicated his life and was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Just four months later, he married Saundra Moon, who is known to all as the love of his life. Joel and Saundra were married on August 20, 1967 and began a life of serving Jehovah together. In time, their family began to grow, and they welcomed two more daughters and a son.
Some of Joel’s happiest childhood memories were the years he and his family lived on his uncle Dave’s farm in Campbell, Nebraska, where he started milking cows at the age of seven and regularly drove the family feed truck into town all by himself at just 10 years of age.
Other fond memories were the 20-plus years that he worked as foreman on the Meadow Springs Cattle Ranch just outside Liberty, Missouri, where he and his brother Mic ran cattle, broke horses, and raised livestock. After years of both farming and ranching, Joel eventually had to turn his hand to other trades to support his growing family, so he traded his saddle for a broom and began operating his own janitorial service. No matter what he did for work, he did it with all his might, but the work dearest to his heart was that of teaching others Bible truth. Together with his wife Saundra, they zealously spoke about Jehovah, and taught Bible truth to others, and enjoyed the privilege of helping many to baptism.
Joel will be fondly remembered for his extraordinarily large, strong, hard-working, calloused hands; his quick wit & sense of humor (albeit at times ornery); his gift of storytelling; his hard work ethic; his love for family and friends; his love for all creatures great and small; but most of all his love for the Creator himself, Jehovah God.
Joel was preceded in death by both of his parents, as well as his younger brothers, Mic and Craig Walker; his sister LaRhea Roush; his son Rory Walker and his firstborn son Chet Walker.
Joel is survived by his wife of 59 years Saundra Walker, his son Joe Walker (wife Susie); his daughter Starlene Cole (husband Russ); his daughter Lana Wright (husband Norman); his daughter Laura Hawley (husband Carmen); his son Daniel Walker (wife Amy); his daughter-in-law Ruth Walker; as well as many grandchildren; great grandchildren; nieces; nephews and an abundance of friends.