Bruce Ervin Walker

Bruce Ervin Walker was born Oct. 7, 1935, in Des Moines, to Ervin H. and Freda Fern (Cooper) Walker. He died Dec. 24, 2020, at the age of 85 in Mission, Texas.

Bruce graduated from Monroe High School in 1954. Following graduation, he worked at Whitted Implement where he learned the mechanic trade. When Whitted Implement closed he worked for Davis Auto Supply for four years. In 1969 he went on his own and built Walker’s Garage on his acreage four miles east of Monroe. He was a successful businessman and enjoyed working on tractors and lawnmowers for more than 50 years.

Bruce married his high school sweetheart, Ila Van Wyngarden, June 15, 1956.  

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Ila; their five children, Lonnie (Julie), Tim (Lisa), Terry, Tami (Galyn) Nook and Robin (Travis) Egesdal; 12 grandchildren; and eight grandchildren.

Bruce, Ila and their family spent many weekends boating at Lake Ponderosa. They also took their family to family camp every year at Iowa Regular Baptist Camp and after retirement, spent their summers at the camp volunteering. Bruce and Ila spent 37 years wintering in Mission, Texas. While in Texas he enjoyed helping various missions, making thousands of toys for His Hands Ministry, Border Missions and Children’s Haven International — handing them out to the less fortunate children in the valley.

He was an active member of First Baptist Church and Gideons International. He was an avid speaker for the Gideons and enjoyed meeting people and talking to them about their need for a Savior.

Preceding him in death were his father, Ervin, Sept. 4, 1955; mother, Freda,  Aug. 30. 2002; and sister, Shirley Van Ryswyk, Oct 25, 2016.

A funeral service will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9 at the First Baptist Church in Monroe. Burial will follow at Silent City Cemetery. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Saturday at the church. Masks are required for the visitation and funeral service. Memorials may be made to Gideons International or Iowa Regular Baptist Camp. Condolences may be left for the family at coburnfuneralhomes.com.