Obituary of Todd R. Walker

Todd R. Walker Todd R. Walker resided in Olympia, Washington. He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 12, 1955. As a teenager, he moved with his parents and brother from Costa Mesa, California, to Spokane, Washington. Todd went to Mead High School in Mead, Washington, and graduated in 1974. He worked at Expo ’74 for the Folk Life Festival and managed lights and sound for several local Spokane rock-and-roll bands. Todd and Diane where childhood sweethearts; they met when Todd was 16 and Diane was 15. They became best friends and started dating shortly thereafter. They were married March 19, 1977, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and made their home in Spokane. Todd began selling real estate in 1976 where he sold houses and land for several real estate companies in Spokane. In 1978, their first son Jason Robert was born in Spokane. In 1981, their second son Ross Philip was born, also in Spokane. From 1988 to 1993, Todd was Vice President of Bratlie Forestry in Coeur d’Alene. In 1991, Todd obtained an Associate degree in Natural Resources Management from Spokane Community College. He was the recipient of the Society of American Foresters’ “Outstanding Student of the Year Award.” Todd moved his family to Olympia in 1993 when he began working for the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife as Real Estate Acquisition Supervisor for the Real Estate Services Wildlife Program (1993 – 2010). During his 17 years with the Department, he worked to acquire 182,650 acres of land and conservation easements, protected riparian areas, tidelands, prairie, shrub-steppe, and many more critical habitats for fish, wildlife, and endangered species for the state of Washington. Todd loved spending time with his family and grandchildren; riding his Harley; boating with his family at Loon Lake and Lake Roosevelt (Washington), Coeur d’Alene Lake and Priest Lake (Idaho), and Puget Sound; parasailing at Loon Lake and Mar Don at Moses Lake (Washington); and camping trips with Diane and the boys. Todd enjoyed watching many of his close friends playing music. He loved all types of music and especially enjoyed live music in his hometowns of Spokane and Olympia. Todd is survived by his wife of 35 years, Diane (Olympia); son Jason, his wife Jesse, grandchildren Caleb and Kellan (Olympia); son Ross Walker, his wife Amanda (Olympia); parents Robert and Patricia Walker (Arizona/Spokane); brother Scott Walker, his wife Rachel (Spokane); niece Wendy; and nephews Blake, Bryce, and Trevor; father-in-law Norm Bratlie (Coeur d’Alene). More than anything, Todd loved his wife, his sons, their wives, and was the world’s best Papa to his grandsons Caleb and Kellan; he hung the moon…just ask them. Please leave memories of Todd or condolences for the family in the Guestbook below.