Skip to content

WALKER, Genevieve


Florence Genevieve Walker, long- time resident of the Comox Valley, died on March 4, 2011 at the age of 89. She was known for her love of children and and spend many happy years teaching nursery school in her home on Robb Road.


She was a member of St. Peter’s Anglican Church in Comox, where she had been a member of the Women’s Auxiliary, and assisted in receptions and serving coffee after church services.


She was born in Vancouver on July 10, 1921 and was one of five children in the home of Mrs. Ella Manuel. She graduated from King Edward High School and was among the candidates selected to work with children who had been evacuated from London to avoid the air raids, and sent to Fairbridge Farm near Duncan, on Vancouver Island. She also worked as a riveter building PBY rescue airplanes in a facility near Vancouver harbor.


After a six year “whirlwind” courtship, she married Ronald Y. Walker of the Royal Canadian Navy in St. Margaret’s Anglican Church, Ottawa, Ontario, on December 27, 1943. After a honeymoon in Montreal, the newlyweds spent their first year of marriage in Gaspe, Quebec, before Ronald was sent overseas on the RCN convoys out of Halifax. They moved to the Comox Valley in 1951 with their children, Garth and Barbara, who were raised in Comox and attended high school in Courtenay.


Genevieve contributed greatly to the community through her teaching and community organizations. She belonged to Eastern Star, Canadian Daughters, worked in the Filberg Gallery in Comox and had a great love for gardening, flowers, nature parks and outdoor scenery.


She had artistic abilities and created pictures in copper work, beautiful needlepoint wall hangings and had great skills in sewing, knitting and crocheting. Her love of travel took her to far reaches of the globe, including England, Scotland and Wales, Russia, Scandinavia, Bali, The Great Wall of China, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, as well as Eastern Canada and Puerto Rico. In all aspects of her life, she exhibited great love for her family and her community. She was extremely happy around children and always had their best interest at heart. She recalled many fond memories of her years of teaching nursery school, and especially enjoyed seeing her former students and delighted in hearing about their fun while attending her school.


Genevieve is predeceased by her husband Ronald in 1986, her son Garth in 2006 and her brother Eric and her sisters Zaza, Joyce and Mabel. She is survived by her daughter Barbara of Lakewood, California, and nieces and nephews. Memorial service will be held in St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Comox on March 23, 2011 at 2:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, please contribute to the Genevieve Walker Memorial Scholarship for Early Childhood Education at North Island College Foundation, 2300 Ryan Road, Courtenay, B. C. V9N 8N6 Attention: Susan Auchterloni, Executive Director.



Your condolences will be approved within one business day. You will need a valid Facebook account. Please email us if you have any questions.