George Burbank Walker, 67, of Mathews, passed away Oct. 5, 2015 at his home.
He is survived by his wife, Judith Union Walker; a son, Robert Nichols and wife Lori of Newport News; five grandchildren, Greg, Samantha, Gavin, Brielle and Adalynn Nichols; a daughter, Kelly Nichols and boyfriend Eddie of Newport News; a brother, Robert Walker and wife Linda of Ware Neck; three nephews, Robert, Jonathan, Joshua; a niece, Amy, and cousins, Carol and Randy Watts of White Stone.
George was a native of Hampton, the son of Robert William Walker and Lillie Chambers Walker. George was an avid sailor, having learned at a young age. He competed locally and was a longstanding member of the Hampton Yacht Club. He built his own Fireball sailboat while in college to race along with his brother, Robert, and later went on to attend the Wooden Boat School of Maine where he handcrafted a 17-ft. sea kayak, the Willow.
George retired from teaching at Hampton Public Schools. During his summers off, George held various positions, including tying steel for the Newport News Shipbuilding North yard expansion. He went on to pursue a career in Radiation Control at the Newport News Shipbuilding. He transferred that knowledge and experience to a position with the Tennessee Valley Authority at Brown’s Ferry Nuclear Plant in Athens, Ala. He returned to Mathews, and continued his career at Jefferson Lab as a Senior Radiation Protection Tech in Health Physics. George was among an elite number of professionals to become a certified member of the National Registry of Radiation Protection Technologists.
George was a member of the Nicholas Marteau Descendants, Middle Peninsula Amateur Radio Club, and the Order of the Crown of Charlemagne. A lover of travel, especially by train, George experienced much of the West via the rails. He traveled to Lake Placid, N.Y., and had the joy of fulfilling a lifetime dream of riding a bobsled on the official U.S. Olympic bobsled track. He traveled overseas to Scotland and traced his Scottish heritage. George traveled vicariously through HAM radio, corresponding with radio operators all over the world. Generous of heart, mind and spirit, George was a brilliant man who lent his patience and humor to a life that was filled with an appreciation for simple pleasures and family.
A memorial service will be held at Foster-Faulkner Funeral Home located at 160 Main Street, Mathews, on Saturday, Oct. 17. Visitation will be at 1 p.m., followed by the memorial service conducted by the Rev. Thomas Bunting at 2 p.m.
The family requests that donations be made to Riverside Walter Reed Hospice or Mathews Rescue Squad in lieu of flowers.