City of Oaks Funeral Home & Cremation
Obituary
Edward Earl Walker
Apex, North Carolina
Age 87.
Died 03/03/2025.
Ed is survived by his devoted wife of 63 years, Patsy Malone Walker; their two sons, Bradford Evan Walker and Douglas Keith Walker; daughter-in-law, Ashley Welch Walker; and cherished grandchildren, Douglas Wellsley Walker and Addison Rayne Walker, all residing in Raleigh.
A 1956 graduate of Huntsville High School, Ed's journey to lifelong love began while financing his first car at American Discount, where Patsy's assistance and sympathy for his sunburn sparked a connection. He confided to friends later that day he had met the woman he would marry, and they wed on August 26, 1961, at Holmes Street United Methodist Church in Huntsville.
The couple moved to Auburn University, where Ed discovered his passion for computer programming while studying Civil Engineering. As the manager of the school’s Computer Center, he developed Auburn’s first-in-the-nation software-driven class registration system – a system that remained in use for decades to follow.
In 1972, Ed and Patsy relocated their family to Raleigh where Ed began work at Triangle University Computation Center (TUCC), a cooperative venture between Duke, NC State and UNC, providing shared main-frame computing services. Ed eventually served as the Center’s President and Director.
In retirement, Ed founded Router Specialties, designing and manufacturing woodworking equipment and accessories sold nationally. His expertise as a woodworker led to a number of publications, including an article in Fine Woodworking in October 1991.
Ed's life was profoundly shaped by his faith and love for people. As a young couple, he and Patsy accepted an invitation from their best friends to attend Mid-Way Baptist Church, where they committed their lives to Christ. They later led a ministry there for many years, teaching Bible lessons to Raleigh’s underserved youth through puppet shows and engaging skits. He and Patsy were later members of The Shepherd's Church in Cary, NC.
Ed's life was a rich tapestry of passions, adventures and interests. He enjoyed animals, running, building, wood-carving, ballroom dancing, and travel. Alongside his wife, he explored the country for over a decade with a close-knit RV group, creating cherished memories. A dedicated marathon runner, Ed participated in numerous races, including a Disney marathon he ran with his son, Doug.
Ed's profound love for animals led him to become a self-taught expert in dog training and obedience. He established a YouTube channel where he produced engaging instructional training videos. Sharing his service dogs, Amy and Bitsy, with residents of local retirement communities brought him immense joy. He also maintained multiple fish aquariums and a koi pond, a passion he delighted in sharing with his beloved grandchildren. As an active member of the local Koi Club, Ed conducted workshops on minor medical procedures for koi, further demonstrating his dedication to the well-being of animals.
For over 40 years, Ed and Patsy resided in Apex, NC, in a home they meticulously designed and built together. This home stood as a testament to their shared vision and dedication.
The family will receive friends at Edenton Street United Methodist Church in downtown Raleigh from 5-7 PM on Friday, March 14, 2025. A graveside service will be held at Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville, Alabama at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions in Ed's memory to the Durham Rescue Mission or the SPCA of Wake County. Donations to the Durham Rescue Mission can be made online at https://durhamrescuemission.org/donate/ or by contacting them at 919-688-9641. Contributions to the SPCA of Wake County can be made online at https://donate.spcawake.org/ .
Ed's life was a testament to love, innovation, and service, leaving an indelible mark on his family, friends, and community.
For additional information or for service details, please reach out to the family directly.
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City of Oaks Cremation and Funeral Home is a full-service funeral home in Raleigh, serving all of North Carolina and beyond. We provide an alternative to costly funeral homes and every day we help families in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and all over North Carolina make simple, affordable funeral arrangements.
Simply having to reach out to a funeral home can feel overwhelming. Our goal is to simplify the entire funeral home experience and make the process as easy as possible. We hope to eliminate any unnecessary surprises by publishing our total cost and the services we provide directly on our website. All of our obituaries are provided free of charge as a way to help families celebrate and commemorate the lives of their loved ones.
Our Promise
Apples to Apples
Just like all other licensed funeral homes in North Carolina, City of Oaks Cremation, LLC is regulated by the NC Board of Funeral Service.
The same laws that apply to the big corporate funeral homes also apply to the modest independently owned firms like ours. All crematories in North Carolina, regardless of who owns them, are inspected annually by the state and must adhere to the same rules and laws.
Genuine Care
We're committed to providing families within our community unsurpassed service before, during and after the time of loss.
Our staff will provide clear communication to your family through each step as we move forward from the original phone call notifying us of a death to the time we deliver the urn back to your family. We will treat your family with the utmost respect, as we honor the wishes of your loved one.
We promise to make this process affordable and as endurable as possible.
State Wide
Our Funeral Home is located in Wake County NC; however, we provide our services to families throughout the entire State.
Unlike other funeral homes, we don't charge an additional mileage fee. Regardless of what county you live in, we can help your family with making simple, affordable funeral arrangements. From Asheville to Wilmington, we're proud to help families statewide.
Our Services
$1196.75
Nobody likes surprise costs added in at the last minute. We guarantee you will not find any hidden charges here. We include everything you need for a simple or direct cremation. Simple, affordable and reliable. We have not changed the cost of our direct cremation service since we opened City of Oaks in 2012.
$2875.66
We offer the option of choosing how you receive your loved ones remains. Selecting our Direct Cremation with Solidified Remains option is a beautiful way to transform cremated remains into 40-60 “stones” that you can hold.
$1917.84
City of Oaks Funeral Home and Cremation provides an affordable cremation option with onsite visitation. Nobody likes surprise costs added in at the last minute. We guarantee you will not find any hidden charges here. Simple, affordable and reliable.
$2497.50
An immediate burial has the same end result as a traditional burial; however, we have eliminated the extra (sometimes unnecessary) services prior to getting to the cemetery. Not everyone wants an open casket for viewing or a limousine for the family. Despite the term immediate, we can move as fast as you need or as slow as you like. This option simply allows you to save money by eliminating some of the fancy extras at the funeral home.
$6081.48
We offer the same traditional funeral services as the big corporately owned funeral homes in the area; however, we cost about half the amount. You might consider a traditional funeral service if your family is looking for an open casket visitation, a traditional church service or a funeral service in the funeral home's chapel. A traditional funeral service can be altered to fit the needs of your family.
$3033.75
This establishment is one of a select number of funeral homes who meet the criteria for providing green funeral service by the Green Burial Council; a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization working to encourage environmentally sustainability in the field of funeral service. Our Green options allow for a funeral to take place without the use of toxic and non-biodegradable materials/chemicals.
$2640.59
As an alternative to traditional cremation, City of Oaks Funeral Home also offers Aquamation. The Aquamation process, often referred to as alkaline hydrolysis, uses a solution of water and potassium hydroxide to facilitate natural decomposition.