Dr. William (" Billy") Walker

Dr. William Walker Obituary Dr. William Walker D.D.S. (Sonny) was born in Charleston, WV on May 24th, 1925, to the late Hezekiah Walker and Flora (Peters) Walker. He was the second of three children between his older brother, Hezekiah Leon Walker, Jr., and his baby sister Theresa (Walker) Timmons. He and his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio in 1930, where he attended Cleveland public schools including East Technical High School until graduating in 1943. As a young child he faced the discriminatory issues of a country that continues to struggle with race relations to this day. He was encouraged by his mother to value education from a young age while finding various trades were either restricted from black people or too dangerous for his liking. Seeking to broaden his horizons, he enlisted in the Navy in 1943, during the height of WWII. He served his country until 1946 as an extremely rare black Petty Officer, First Class. Walker led a team of 90 plus soldiers in restocking Navy ships with supplies and ammunition, and rescuing downed pilots in Leyte Gulf with PT boats based in the Philippines. While serving his country, he was exposed to diverse lifestyles of college educated black people whose families encouraged him to pursue his dreams and to dream big! With the additional support, love and encouragement of his best friend and brother, Leon Walker, he was determined to pursue his dream of a career in medicine. He enrolled at the Ohio State University leveraging the GI bill, pledged Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Kappa chapter and received both his Bachelors (1946) and D.D.S. (1957) degrees. While attending dental school and working at the USPS, he was introduced to his future wife, Janet (Bivens) Walker by her brother, William Bivens. Janet was the first female black Captain in the Air Force (Wright Patterson AFB) in Ohio. As a young black couple within the medical profession, they were what today’s culture would call a “power couple”. They married and moved to Cleveland with their firstborn child, Leslie Rochelle, born on September 19th, 1957. William and Janet had their last child, William Bivens Walker, on October 8th, 1963. Dr. Walker always served and worked in the black community. As a practicing dentist, Dr. Walker’s first office was located on Superior Avenue. With business booming, Dr. Walker opened a second practice on Lee Road. When the Superior Avenue location burned down during the Cleveland race riots, Dr. Walker laid roots in the Lee-Harvard corridor. He was a beloved dentist in the community and helped those who could not pay cash by leveraging the barter system. He went on to partner with the city of Cleveland as Director of the Model Cities Dental Clinics throughout Cleveland’s economically challenged areas, providing free dental services throughout the city, propagating wellness and confidence in numerous smiling patients. As an established proprietor for nearly 70 years, he prided himself on never referring a patient to collections! His “patient picture” wall of fame showcased many satisfied customers. He was excited to learn of his family’s desire to honor his presence and service to the community by creating “Doc’s On Harvard” restaurant, converting his Lee-Harvard office into a upscale restaurant and lounge as a living legacy. Although he will not see it open, he was involved in the concept, planning, and menu selections and was ecstatic! Dr. Walker was also a charter member of the prestigious National Negro Golf Association (NNGA) working with 6 others to establish the Cleveland Chapter. This trailblazing group played golf around the country and world, breaking down color barriers and establishing golf scholarships and sponsorships throughout the country while creating a fantastic social outlet that continues to thrive today. The group has fortified many of today’s golf participants with equipment and transportation for golf teams, and bridged the accessibility gap to some of the greatest golfing venues in North America. Dr. Walker absolutely loved his family and understood the importance of encouragement and support. He instilled the value of hard work, education, and perseverance in his children, and was so proud of their college and post graduate educations. Attending the graduations of his children and grandchildren were some of his most joyous moments. He is survived by his two loving children, Leslie R. Byrd (Charlie) of New York, and William B. Walker (Kolnita) of Cleveland, sisters-in-law Nadine Walker and Barbara Bivens of Columbus, and grandchildren Traver, Taylor (Brittany), Tristin, Jeremy, Rachel, Enoch, Noah, and Raven. He is also survived by a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins. He is now reunited with his wife Janet, grandson Trenton, brother Leon, and sister Theresa in heaven. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to : https://givebutter.com/trentsroom To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Dr. William (" Billy") Walker, please visit our floral store. Read More

Dr. William (" Billy") Walker

May 24, 1925 - March 17, 2022