Maudest Walker

Maudest Walker of Surprise, AZ passed away January 31, 2019 in Sun City West, AZ. She was born January 21, 1943 to K.P. and Alberta Thomas in Annemanie, Alabama. Maudest was an outstanding community member with a passion for education. She graduated Annemanie High School as the salutatorian of her class in 1960 and earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in psychology from Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington. Maudest went on to work as a high school general education and social studies teacher for the Portland public school system in Oregon. She received her Master of Education in Manpower and Community College Counseling from Oregon State University in 1973, where she was inducted into the prestigious Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. After graduation, Maudest worked as an administrator and professor in workforce training and community college counseling for Job Corps centers and the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, the latter culminating in supervising and training graduate students as well as co-writing training manuals in a masters counseling program. She was a member of the Philomathean Charity Club, American Personnel and Guidance Association, Association for Counselor Education and Oregon Teachers Association. Maudest will be remembered as a beautiful, sweet, down-to-earth people person with a warm smile, infectious laugh and unique sense of humor. Although married to a federal administrative law judge and accomplished in her own right, she was never afraid to celebrate other people. Maudest often showered a person with praise and encouragement, making them feel like the most important one in the room. Many also came to her for a listening ear, sound advice and good ol’-fashioned prayer. A strong woman of faith, Maudest accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at a young age and received the precious gift of the Holy Ghost. The Church affectionately referred to her as “Missionary Walker,” “Mother Walker” and “The Confirmer” in ministry. Maudest was an evangelist, prophetess, teacher, missionary, church mother, Sunday school superintendent and Sunday school teacher. She also loved music. Maudest played the saxophone and piano. She occasionally played piano in church and sang in the choir. Moreover, Maudest sang and co-wrote songs with her daughter, coaching her at times. She was also an avid reader and one-time athlete during her field hockey days, but most knew her as an antique enthusiast turned entrepreneur who owned and operated stores with her husband and mall booths in Los Angeles, California for nearly 30 years, before retiring and settling into her dream home with her daughter in Surprise. Maudest is survived by her daughters Maldest and Pepper Walker (Maltipoo), sisters Mildred Thomas and Elaine Phillips (John) and a host of relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband Mallory Walker, her parents K.P. and Alberta Thomas, two brothers Kossuth and Norbert Thomas, her sister Lucille Thomas-Austin and many beloved aunts and uncles. Arrangements are under the direction of Simply Cremation in Surprise, AZ.