Worcester/Holden
Mark Paul Walker
Again, so soon, God has reached into our family for a special person. On Wednesday, a deserving rest came to Mark Walker, 44, Worcester resident, son of Edward and Joanne Walker of Holden. Mark has finally been relieved from a twenty-five year long contentious odyssey with health problems that began with the onset of diabetes at age 19. It was followed over the years by accidental destruction of a leg bone, an 18 month ordeal with blindness, dialysis, a kidney transplant, and loss of his lower leg to a flesh destroying infection. In his rest, he will lie beside his mother, who died exactly a year ago from some of the same complications of this insidious disease, diabetes.
Together with his sister Lysa Ringgard of Rutland he graduated from Saint Peter Marian High School. He attended Franklin Pierce College. He worked at the Joslin diabetes camp in Oxford and frequently helped his parents teach CPR. A while later Mark found success and fulfillment in house management of residential facilities for the handicapped and impaired. After his leg accident he left that work and used his time to earn a cum-laude degree, with special distinguished honors, from Worcester State. Unable to work full time he became a volunteer teacher at North High School where his ability to inspire students proved outstanding.
Mark was passionate about music and helping friends. Most recently he volunteered to help a friend with a start-up late-night push-cart stand in downtown Worcester, and was always promoting for work opportunities for another friend in a start-up painting business. Mark’s reputation labeled him ‘generous to a fault’ and never expecting anything in return. Mark loved being with his sister’s children, Alec and Ryanne and just being outside.
Opportunity to express feelings about Mark’s passing, and to say good-bye, will take place at Callahan & Fay Brothers Funeral Home, 61 Myrtle St., Worcester, Friday, March 21, between 3 and 8 PM. A Mass for Mark will be offered at St. George’s Catholic Church in Worcester on Wednesday, March 26 at 10 AM., followed by internment at Mooreland Cemetery in Paxton. In lieu of flowers, please send contributions, in Mark’s memory, to Worcester State Foundation-Mark Walker Memorial Fund, 486 Chandler St., Worcester, 01602. To place an on-line condolence, please visit. www.callahanfay.com