Stanley E. Walker
1910
- 2002During his lifetime, Stanley E. Walker taught in four Adventist colleges and chaired the music department in two of them. A student of Blythe Owen and Margaret Holden-Rippey, he began his career teaching keyboard at academies in the Portland, Oregon area. He accepted a position at Walla Walla College in 1935 at the age of 23 and would teach there until 1959, serving as chair for his final 14 years.
During his time at WWC, Walker completed both undergraduate and master’s degrees in music at Northwestern University. He was recognized by a yearbook dedication in 1953 for his contributions to the campus and the department. He and Melvin K. West were the first two Adventist organists to be recognized as Fellows in the American Guild of Organists, both achieving that distinction in 1957.
After leaving WWC, Walker was organist and department chair at Atlantic Union College for eight years. He taught theory and organ at Andrews University and then at Southern Missionary College, now Southern Adventist University, before retiring in 1978. He continued to play organ into his eighties. A Stanley E. Walker Music Scholarship endowment was established at WWC in his ninetieth year to honor his years of service in SDA music education.
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