(From Ozark Funeral Home)Ronald Gene “Ronnie” Walker, 72, of Southwest City, Missouri, departed this life on Monday, December 13, 2021, in the comfort of his home after a brief battle with cancer.
Ronnie was born March 21, 1949, in Topeka Kansas, the first child of
Kelly Gene Walker and Allie Elizabeth Short. Ronnie's father worked on the pipeline, and they traveled around a lot while he was growing up. They lived in Topeka, Kansas for about 2 weeks after Ronnie was born. Other times they lived in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, New Mexico and Missouri. Ronnie also lived at times with his grandparents, Charles O. Walker and Flossie Moss Walker.
After his Grandpa Walker died and his Grandma Flossie moved to Grove, Ronnie lived with her awhile and delivered the “Grit” newspaper around town on his bike. As he got older, he got into business raising pigs and not just a few pigs, he had hundreds at times.
Ronnie went to college at Northeastern A&M in Miami and then went to Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. He wanted to be a vet. He worked to pay for his college, but he said he “just got tired of starving out” and went to work on the pipeline. He had come from a long line of heavy equipment operators and he went right to work making good money. After several years on the pipeline, he came back to McDonald County and was raising a family and he bought Sham's Pizza in Anderson. After making a success at being a pizza chef, Ronnie built the Pizza Place in Southwest City. People in McDonald County loved his pizza and he was proud of saying that his Large Supreme pizza weighed 7 pounds.
Ronnie was a fisherman from the time he was little. He loved to fish and would tell of walking from his house to Elk River Bridge on Hwy 43 when he was only 8 or 9 years old and spend all day, sometimes all night fishing. He didn't care what kind of fishing he did, with a cane pole, or a professional rig, he loved it. He fished countless tournaments on Grand Lake, and became one of the most knowledgeable fishermen on that lake through the 1980, 90s and 20s. He retired from bass fishing and became a striper fisherman after about 2016 and loved fishing for striper and walleye on Beaver Lake and Bull Shoals Lake.
He loved playing pitch and was known to have his friends over at any opportunity to have a big pitch game and eating. His morel and wilted spinach dinners and pitch games were eagerly awaited by his friends. He also enjoyed raising his Charolais/Limousin cross cattle and was busy either running his restaurants or taking care of his cattle. Ronnie was elected Commissioner for the Western District of McDonald County in 2008 and served one term. Within that term he accomplished several things for the county. He organized a bi-partisan committee to convince the county voters that they needed a full-time Prosecuting Attorney. Which had been tried before and had not passed. With the help of his committee, the proposition passed. Ronnie was the consummate businessman and several of his practices helped the county save the tax payer's money for more important programs. Ronnie was a proud member of the Masonic Lodge and attained his 50 year status in November 2021. He was also a member of the Moose Lodge for 45 years.
Ronnie is survived by his best friend and love of the past 30+ years, Nancy Brown. His son, Brian Walker and his wife, Katrina of Southwest City, his son, Kelly Walker of St. Peters, Missouri; Nancy's sons, who he considered his, Matthew Brown, D.O. and his wife, Tricia of Springfield Missouri and Ridge Brown and his wife, Mendi, of Centerton Arkansas and seven grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters, Patty Sigala and her husband Martin, of Petaluma California and Linda Walker of Cloverdale California, several nieces and a nephew, great nieces and nephews, and great great nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held on Friday evening, December 17, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. in the Anderson Chapel of the Ozark Funeral Homes with Andrew Molder officiating. The family will receive friends on Friday beginning at 4:00 p.m. at the funeral home. On-line condolences may be sent to the family through our website, www.ozarkfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are under the personal care and direction of the Ozark Funeral Home in Anderson, Missouri.
Ronnie went to college at Northeastern A&M in Miami and then went to Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. He wanted to be a vet. He worked to pay for his college, but he said he “just got tired of starving out” and went to work on the pipeline. He had come from a long line of heavy equipment operators and he went right to work making good money. After several years on the pipeline, he came back to McDonald County and was raising a family and he bought Sham's Pizza in Anderson. After making a success at being a pizza chef, Ronnie built the Pizza Place in Southwest City. People in McDonald County loved his pizza and he was proud of saying that his Large Supreme pizza weighed 7 pounds.
Ronnie was a fisherman from the time he was little. He loved to fish and would tell of walking from his house to Elk River Bridge on Hwy 43 when he was only 8 or 9 years old and spend all day, sometimes all night fishing. He didn't care what kind of fishing he did, with a cane pole, or a professional rig, he loved it. He fished countless tournaments on Grand Lake, and became one of the most knowledgeable fishermen on that lake through the 1980, 90s and 20s. He retired from bass fishing and became a striper fisherman after about 2016 and loved fishing for striper and walleye on Beaver Lake and Bull Shoals Lake.
He loved playing pitch and was known to have his friends over at any opportunity to have a big pitch game and eating. His morel and wilted spinach dinners and pitch games were eagerly awaited by his friends. He also enjoyed raising his Charolais/Limousin cross cattle and was busy either running his restaurants or taking care of his cattle. Ronnie was elected Commissioner for the Western District of McDonald County in 2008 and served one term. Within that term he accomplished several things for the county. He organized a bi-partisan committee to convince the county voters that they needed a full-time Prosecuting Attorney. Which had been tried before and had not passed. With the help of his committee, the proposition passed. Ronnie was the consummate businessman and several of his practices helped the county save the tax payer's money for more important programs. Ronnie was a proud member of the Masonic Lodge and attained his 50 year status in November 2021. He was also a member of the Moose Lodge for 45 years.
Ronnie is survived by his best friend and love of the past 30+ years, Nancy Brown. His son, Brian Walker and his wife, Katrina of Southwest City, his son, Kelly Walker of St. Peters, Missouri; Nancy's sons, who he considered his, Matthew Brown, D.O. and his wife, Tricia of Springfield Missouri and Ridge Brown and his wife, Mendi, of Centerton Arkansas and seven grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters, Patty Sigala and her husband Martin, of Petaluma California and Linda Walker of Cloverdale California, several nieces and a nephew, great nieces and nephews, and great great nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held on Friday evening, December 17, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. in the Anderson Chapel of the Ozark Funeral Homes with Andrew Molder officiating. The family will receive friends on Friday beginning at 4:00 p.m. at the funeral home. On-line condolences may be sent to the family through our website, www.ozarkfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are under the personal care and direction of the Ozark Funeral Home in Anderson, Missouri.
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