Charles R. Walden, Sr., prominent in the Funeral Home and Cemetery business, passed away July 18, 2014 at the age of 91.
Charles was born October 14, 1922 in Wolfe City, Texas to Thomas W Walden and Myrtie Setzler Walden.
He spoke proudly of being born into a family with deep East Texas traditions. His family, along with four other related families operated their farms as a compound, surviving the Great Depression by cooperating with each other not only as kinfolk, but as a team working together for the betterment of all. The families had lived on the same land for over 100 years and received official recognition from Governor Dolph Briscoe in 1974.
Growing up on a farm, Charles developed a strong work ethic which remained and served him well as he made his life's work in the funeral business.
Charles was President of his 1939 Graduating Class of Wolfe City High School. He decided at an early age he wanted to be a Funeral Director and after graduating from Business School continued his education at Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science to accomplish that goal.
In November of 1941 he and Milly Hill Duncan were married. After working for R. L. Mullins Funeral Home in Wolfe City, he and Milly moved to Austin in 1942. He received his Funeral Director license in October of that year. They had two children, Charles Jr. and Judy.
Charles was a "walking history" of the funeral business in Austin and shared many interesting anecdotes about the famous and the not so famous people he had served.
Always community minded, Charles served as President of Capitol City Kiwanis Club and was named Kiwanian of the Year in 1964. He was privileged to be a member of St. Austin Catholic Parish as well as St. Louis Parish. He was instrumental in forming St. Monica Guild where lifelong friendships were forged.
A long history of service to the Catholic Diocese of Austin continued when in 1969 he was asked to Chair the Building Committee for St. Theresa, a new Parish formed by Bishop Riker. Then, under the leadership of Bishop McCarthy, he chaired the Diocesan Building Commission for many years. During that period, he, along with an extraordinary group of dedicated men, were responsible for the completion of 60 building projects for the Diocese including churches and schools.
Charles was a member of The Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre and was a 2012 Honoree of the Lumen Gentium Award, presented by Bishop Joe Vasquez.
October 11, 2012 was a day of double celebration when he was honored by his peers in the funeral industry and representatives of the State of Texas and the City of Austin for 70 years of service and his 89th birthday. Typical for him, Charles asked, "Who are they talking about?"
Charles Walden is a name respected in the funeral and cemetery industry. In 1970 he entered a partnership to purchase the Cook Funeral Home, thus the oldest funeral establishment in Austin became Cook-Walden Funeral Home.
Charles Walden was a leader and visionary in the funeral business. Remembering the lesson taught by his parents that the integrity of your name is the true legacy of your life, he was always honest in his dealings and never wavered from his commitment to serve people in bereavement with heartfelt excellence.
From the cotton fields of East Texas to successful multiple Funeral Home and Cemetery business sums up his endeavors which Charles would just call "life". But his was a life filled with a big loving family, many personal friends, thousands of people whom he had served faithfully through the years and his peers in the funeral industry, all of whom will miss his presence in their lives.
Charles Walden, Sr. is survived by his wife, Milly Walden; son, Charles R. Walden, Jr. and wife, Laura; daughter, Judy Walden; grandchildren, Kimberly Motsinger and husband, Jeremy; Keri Vinson and husband, Michael; Gordon Hill and wife, Alora; Trey Walden and wife, Kat; Carla Hill; Jeff Hill and wife Sarah and Clark Walden; cousin, Margie Sue Woodard; along with 17 great-grandchildren.
All who knew him are left with a void, each holding his own memories of a very special person.
Mr. Walden will lay in-state from nine o'clock in the morning until eight o'clock in the evening on Saturday and Sunday, July 19 and 20, 2014, at the Cook-Walden Funeral Home on North Lamar for friends to pay respects. A formal visitation will be at six o'clock in the evening on Monday, July 21, 2014, with a prayer service beginning at seven o'clock. A Recitation of the Rosary will follow.
Funeral Mass will be celebrated at ten o'clock in the morning of Tuesday, July 22, 2014 at St. Theresa Catholic Church, 4311 Small Drive with Monsignor William C. Brooks and Reverend Larry Covington as Concelebrants. Entombment will follow at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Cemetery in Pflugerville, Texas.
Honoring Mr. Walden as pallbearers will be Gordon Hill, Trey Walden, Jeff Hill, Clark Walden, Chris Benson, Brent Harwood, David Joseph and Joe Joseph.
Honorary pallbearers are David Culpepper, Dwain Schuh, Norman Tonguegate, all members of St. Monica Holy Family Guild, and fellow staff members of Cook-Walden Funeral Homes and Cemeteries.
Charles was born October 14, 1922 in Wolfe City, Texas to Thomas W Walden and Myrtie Setzler Walden.
He spoke proudly of being born into a family with deep East Texas traditions. His family, along with four other related families operated their farms as a compound, surviving the Great Depression by cooperating with each other not only as kinfolk, but as a team working together for the betterment of all. The families had lived on the same land for over 100 years and received official recognition from Governor Dolph Briscoe in 1974.
Growing up on a farm, Charles developed a strong work ethic which remained and served him well as he made his life's work in the funeral business.
Charles was President of his 1939 Graduating Class of Wolfe City High School. He decided at an early age he wanted to be a Funeral Director and after graduating from Business School continued his education at Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science to accomplish that goal.
In November of 1941 he and Milly Hill Duncan were married. After working for R. L. Mullins Funeral Home in Wolfe City, he and Milly moved to Austin in 1942. He received his Funeral Director license in October of that year. They had two children, Charles Jr. and Judy.
Charles was a "walking history" of the funeral business in Austin and shared many interesting anecdotes about the famous and the not so famous people he had served.
Always community minded, Charles served as President of Capitol City Kiwanis Club and was named Kiwanian of the Year in 1964. He was privileged to be a member of St. Austin Catholic Parish as well as St. Louis Parish. He was instrumental in forming St. Monica Guild where lifelong friendships were forged.
A long history of service to the Catholic Diocese of Austin continued when in 1969 he was asked to Chair the Building Committee for St. Theresa, a new Parish formed by Bishop Riker. Then, under the leadership of Bishop McCarthy, he chaired the Diocesan Building Commission for many years. During that period, he, along with an extraordinary group of dedicated men, were responsible for the completion of 60 building projects for the Diocese including churches and schools.
Charles was a member of The Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre and was a 2012 Honoree of the Lumen Gentium Award, presented by Bishop Joe Vasquez.
October 11, 2012 was a day of double celebration when he was honored by his peers in the funeral industry and representatives of the State of Texas and the City of Austin for 70 years of service and his 89th birthday. Typical for him, Charles asked, "Who are they talking about?"
Charles Walden is a name respected in the funeral and cemetery industry. In 1970 he entered a partnership to purchase the Cook Funeral Home, thus the oldest funeral establishment in Austin became Cook-Walden Funeral Home.
Charles Walden was a leader and visionary in the funeral business. Remembering the lesson taught by his parents that the integrity of your name is the true legacy of your life, he was always honest in his dealings and never wavered from his commitment to serve people in bereavement with heartfelt excellence.
From the cotton fields of East Texas to successful multiple Funeral Home and Cemetery business sums up his endeavors which Charles would just call "life". But his was a life filled with a big loving family, many personal friends, thousands of people whom he had served faithfully through the years and his peers in the funeral industry, all of whom will miss his presence in their lives.
Charles Walden, Sr. is survived by his wife, Milly Walden; son, Charles R. Walden, Jr. and wife, Laura; daughter, Judy Walden; grandchildren, Kimberly Motsinger and husband, Jeremy; Keri Vinson and husband, Michael; Gordon Hill and wife, Alora; Trey Walden and wife, Kat; Carla Hill; Jeff Hill and wife Sarah and Clark Walden; cousin, Margie Sue Woodard; along with 17 great-grandchildren.
All who knew him are left with a void, each holding his own memories of a very special person.
Mr. Walden will lay in-state from nine o'clock in the morning until eight o'clock in the evening on Saturday and Sunday, July 19 and 20, 2014, at the Cook-Walden Funeral Home on North Lamar for friends to pay respects. A formal visitation will be at six o'clock in the evening on Monday, July 21, 2014, with a prayer service beginning at seven o'clock. A Recitation of the Rosary will follow.
Funeral Mass will be celebrated at ten o'clock in the morning of Tuesday, July 22, 2014 at St. Theresa Catholic Church, 4311 Small Drive with Monsignor William C. Brooks and Reverend Larry Covington as Concelebrants. Entombment will follow at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Cemetery in Pflugerville, Texas.
Honoring Mr. Walden as pallbearers will be Gordon Hill, Trey Walden, Jeff Hill, Clark Walden, Chris Benson, Brent Harwood, David Joseph and Joe Joseph.
Honorary pallbearers are David Culpepper, Dwain Schuh, Norman Tonguegate, all members of St. Monica Holy Family Guild, and fellow staff members of Cook-Walden Funeral Homes and Cemeteries.
Charles R. Walden, Sr., prominent in the Funeral Home and Cemetery business, passed away July 18, 2014 at the age of 91.
Charles was born October 14, 1922 in Wolfe City, Texas to Thomas W Walden and Myrtie Setzler Walden.
He spoke proudly of being born into a family with deep East Texas traditions. His family, along with four other related families operated their farms as a compound, surviving the Great Depression by cooperating with each other not only as kinfolk, but as a team working together for the betterment of all. The families had lived on the same land for over 100 years and received official recognition from Governor Dolph Briscoe in 1974.
Growing up on a farm, Charles developed a strong work ethic which remained and served him well as he made his life's work in the funeral business.
Charles was President of his 1939 Graduating Class of Wolfe City High School. He decided at an early age he wanted to be a Funeral Director and after graduating from Business School continued his education at Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science to accomplish that goal.
In November of 1941 he and Milly Hill Duncan were married. After working for R. L. Mullins Funeral Home in Wolfe City, he and Milly moved to Austin in 1942. He received his Funeral Director license in October of that year. They had two children, Charles Jr. and Judy.
Charles was a "walking history" of the funeral business in Austin and shared many interesting anecdotes about the famous and the not so famous people he had served.
Always community minded, Charles served as President of Capitol City Kiwanis Club and was named Kiwanian of the Year in 1964. He was privileged to be a member of St. Austin Catholic Parish as well as St. Louis Parish. He was instrumental in forming St. Monica Guild where lifelong friendships were forged.
A long history of service to the Catholic Diocese of Austin continued when in 1969 he was asked to Chair the Building Committee for St. Theresa, a new Parish formed by Bishop Riker. Then, under the leadership of Bishop McCarthy, he chaired the Diocesan Building Commission for many years. During that period, he, along with an extraordinary group of dedicated men, were responsible for the completion of 60 building projects for the Diocese including churches and schools.
Charles was a member of The Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre and was a 2012 Honoree of the Lumen Gentium Award, presented by Bishop Joe Vasquez.
October 11, 2012 was a day of double celebration when he was honored by his peers in the funeral industry and representatives of the State of Texas and the City of Austin for 70 years of service and his 89th birthday. Typical for him, Charles asked, "Who are they talking about?"
Charles Walden is a name respected in the funeral and cemetery industry. In 1970 he entered a partnership to purchase the Cook Funeral Home, thus the oldest funeral establishment in Austin became Cook-Walden Funeral Home.
Charles Walden was a leader and visionary in the funeral business. Remembering the lesson taught by his parents that the integrity of your name is the true legacy of your life, he was always honest in his dealings and never wavered from his commitment to serve people in bereavement with heartfelt excellence.
From the cotton fields of East Texas to successful multiple Funeral Home and Cemetery business sums up his endeavors which Charles would just call "life". But his was a life filled with a big loving family, many personal friends, thousands of people whom he had served faithfully through the years and his peers in the funeral industry, all of whom will miss his presence in their lives.
Charles Walden, Sr. is survived by his wife, Milly Walden; son, Charles R. Walden, Jr. and wife, Laura; daughter, Judy Walden; grandchildren, Kimberly Motsinger and husband, Jeremy; Keri Vinson and husband, Michael; Gordon Hill and wife, Alora; Trey Walden and wife, Kat; Carla Hill; Jeff Hill and wife Sarah and Clark Walden; cousin, Margie Sue Woodard; along with 17 great-grandchildren.
All who knew him are left with a void, each holding his own memories of a very special person.
Mr. Walden will lay in-state from nine o'clock in the morning until eight o'clock in the evening on Saturday and Sunday, July 19 and 20, 2014, at the Cook-Walden Funeral Home on North Lamar for friends to pay respects. A formal visitation will be at six o'clock in the evening on Monday, July 21, 2014, with a prayer service beginning at seven o'clock. A Recitation of the Rosary will follow.
Funeral Mass will be celebrated at ten o'clock in the morning of Tuesday, July 22, 2014 at St. Theresa Catholic Church, 4311 Small Drive with Monsignor William C. Brooks and Reverend Larry Covington as Concelebrants. Entombment will follow at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Cemetery in Pflugerville, Texas.
Honoring Mr. Walden as pallbearers will be Gordon Hill, Trey Walden, Jeff Hill, Clark Walden, Chris Benson, Brent Harwood, David Joseph and Joe Joseph.
Honorary pallbearers are David Culpepper, Dwain Schuh, Norman Tonguegate, all members of St. Monica Holy Family Guild, and fellow staff members of Cook-Walden Funeral Homes and Cemeteries.
Charles was born October 14, 1922 in Wolfe City, Texas to Thomas W Walden and Myrtie Setzler Walden.
He spoke proudly of being born into a family with deep East Texas traditions. His family, along with four other related families operated their farms as a compound, surviving the Great Depression by cooperating with each other not only as kinfolk, but as a team working together for the betterment of all. The families had lived on the same land for over 100 years and received official recognition from Governor Dolph Briscoe in 1974.
Growing up on a farm, Charles developed a strong work ethic which remained and served him well as he made his life's work in the funeral business.
Charles was President of his 1939 Graduating Class of Wolfe City High School. He decided at an early age he wanted to be a Funeral Director and after graduating from Business School continued his education at Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science to accomplish that goal.
In November of 1941 he and Milly Hill Duncan were married. After working for R. L. Mullins Funeral Home in Wolfe City, he and Milly moved to Austin in 1942. He received his Funeral Director license in October of that year. They had two children, Charles Jr. and Judy.
Charles was a "walking history" of the funeral business in Austin and shared many interesting anecdotes about the famous and the not so famous people he had served.
Always community minded, Charles served as President of Capitol City Kiwanis Club and was named Kiwanian of the Year in 1964. He was privileged to be a member of St. Austin Catholic Parish as well as St. Louis Parish. He was instrumental in forming St. Monica Guild where lifelong friendships were forged.
A long history of service to the Catholic Diocese of Austin continued when in 1969 he was asked to Chair the Building Committee for St. Theresa, a new Parish formed by Bishop Riker. Then, under the leadership of Bishop McCarthy, he chaired the Diocesan Building Commission for many years. During that period, he, along with an extraordinary group of dedicated men, were responsible for the completion of 60 building projects for the Diocese including churches and schools.
Charles was a member of The Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre and was a 2012 Honoree of the Lumen Gentium Award, presented by Bishop Joe Vasquez.
October 11, 2012 was a day of double celebration when he was honored by his peers in the funeral industry and representatives of the State of Texas and the City of Austin for 70 years of service and his 89th birthday. Typical for him, Charles asked, "Who are they talking about?"
Charles Walden is a name respected in the funeral and cemetery industry. In 1970 he entered a partnership to purchase the Cook Funeral Home, thus the oldest funeral establishment in Austin became Cook-Walden Funeral Home.
Charles Walden was a leader and visionary in the funeral business. Remembering the lesson taught by his parents that the integrity of your name is the true legacy of your life, he was always honest in his dealings and never wavered from his commitment to serve people in bereavement with heartfelt excellence.
From the cotton fields of East Texas to successful multiple Funeral Home and Cemetery business sums up his endeavors which Charles would just call "life". But his was a life filled with a big loving family, many personal friends, thousands of people whom he had served faithfully through the years and his peers in the funeral industry, all of whom will miss his presence in their lives.
Charles Walden, Sr. is survived by his wife, Milly Walden; son, Charles R. Walden, Jr. and wife, Laura; daughter, Judy Walden; grandchildren, Kimberly Motsinger and husband, Jeremy; Keri Vinson and husband, Michael; Gordon Hill and wife, Alora; Trey Walden and wife, Kat; Carla Hill; Jeff Hill and wife Sarah and Clark Walden; cousin, Margie Sue Woodard; along with 17 great-grandchildren.
All who knew him are left with a void, each holding his own memories of a very special person.
Mr. Walden will lay in-state from nine o'clock in the morning until eight o'clock in the evening on Saturday and Sunday, July 19 and 20, 2014, at the Cook-Walden Funeral Home on North Lamar for friends to pay respects. A formal visitation will be at six o'clock in the evening on Monday, July 21, 2014, with a prayer service beginning at seven o'clock. A Recitation of the Rosary will follow.
Funeral Mass will be celebrated at ten o'clock in the morning of Tuesday, July 22, 2014 at St. Theresa Catholic Church, 4311 Small Drive with Monsignor William C. Brooks and Reverend Larry Covington as Concelebrants. Entombment will follow at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Cemetery in Pflugerville, Texas.
Honoring Mr. Walden as pallbearers will be Gordon Hill, Trey Walden, Jeff Hill, Clark Walden, Chris Benson, Brent Harwood, David Joseph and Joe Joseph.
Honorary pallbearers are David Culpepper, Dwain Schuh, Norman Tonguegate, all members of St. Monica Holy Family Guild, and fellow staff members of Cook-Walden Funeral Homes and Cemeteries.
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