Robert Acey “Bob” Walker passed away on Monday, July 28, 2025, at Stonewood Senior Living in Orange, Texas.
Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. on Friday, August 1, 2025, at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange. Officiating will be Orange County Sheriff’s Office Chaplain Eaves. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Orange.
Visitation will be from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at Claybar Funeral Home.
Born in Crystal Springs, Mississippi, on March 27, 1935, Bob was the first-born son of Wardell and Inez Stephens Walker.
The Walker family made their way from Mississippi to Beaumont via Oakdale, Louisiana, in the early 1940s. Upon his graduation from Beaumont High School in 1953, Bob enrolled in the Lamar Institute of Technology (Lamar University) as a chemical engineering student. In 1956, during his senior year, he was voted Class President and married Nancy Randall. Bob graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering and went straight to work with Goodrich Gulf in Port Neches, Texas. He transferred to Gulf Chemical in Orange in 1965, where he functioned in various engineering and production positions prior to advancing to Operations Manager of low-density polyethylene in 1970.
In July 1974, Bob’s career with Gulf took him to Pittsburg, Kansas, where he took over as Operations Manager and then moved into the position of Plant Manager of the Jayhawk facility in April 1975.
Following his Kansas assignment, Bob returned to Orange in 1977 as the Plant Manager of the Gulf Oil Chemical – Orange Works facility. In 1984, Gulf merged with Chevron Chemical Company from which Bob retired in 1992 after 35 years of service with Gulf/Chevron. As Plant Manager, Bob was the epitome of a leader. He recognized and developed talent in those who worked at the plant. He took seriously the responsibility of making sure those working at the plant and who lived in the community were safe and that the plant was both productive and efficient, ensuring that those working there had security in their jobs.
During his tenure as Plant Manager in Orange, Bob continued his service to the community. He was especially drawn to developing young people as future contributors and leaders. Bob was deeply involved as the Chairman of the Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas program and through his service as Vice-Chairman of the Orange Memorial Hospital Corporation, worked tirelessly to provide scholarships to students seeking to pursue careers in the medical field.
Bob served as Chairman of the Board of the Lutcher Theater in Orange after its opening in 1980 and welcomed several celebrities including Liberace, Mitzi Gaynor and Barbara Mandrell who were some of the first acts to perform at the Theater. Bob also served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Baptist Hospital of Orange, Board Member for the Essie and Wilton Hebert Adult Training Center – Hughen School, was a Paul Harris Fellow in the Orange Rotary Club, and served a number of years on the United Fund (United Way) of Orange County Board of Directors. Bob particularly enjoyed his time as President of the Orange County Ambulance Service (OCAS) and as President of the Board of Directors for OCARC.
Among his many accolades for community service, Bob was named Citizen of the Year by the Orange Area Chamber of Commerce in 1983, Outstanding Business Leader of Southeast Texas, Outstanding Alumni – Lamar University School of Engineering, and was recognized with a Meritorious Award for Fund Raising by the Boy Scouts of America.
After his retirement from Chevron, Bob served on the Board of Directors for Amtex Bancshares, which he enjoyed immensely, for more than 25 years.
Bob had a passion for duck hunting and was named Sportsman of the Year by Ducks Unlimited of Orange County. He was extremely proud to be a charter member of the Lonesome Duck Hunting Club in Sabine Pass, Texas, and spent season after season hunting ducks with his closest friends each year.
Bob is preceded in death by his parents, Wardell and Inez Walker, daughter Cynthia Ann Walker, and sister-in-law Beverly Buchanan Walker.
He is survived by his wife of 68 years Nancy Randall Walker of Orange; daughter Krispen Walker Winfree and husband Will of Orange; brother Larry Walker of Orange; brother Stephens Walker and wife Betsy of Scottsdale, Arizona; and sister Candace Ann Hallam and husband Larry of College Station, Texas; and several cherished nieces and nephews. He is also survived by Gary and Garrett Gauthier who were like a son and grandson to him.
Serving as pallbearers will be Will Winfree, Gary Gauthier, Garrett Gauthier, Michael Dennis, Stuart McKinley and Larry Hallam. Honorary pallbearers are Bob Cormier, Jim I. Graves, Fred Dohmann, Alvin Wright and John Toney, III.
We sincerely thank John Toney, III, and the staff at Stonewood Senior Living and Stonewood Hospice for their dedicated care of Bob over the past two years. He could not have had better care.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to OCARC, Inc., 905 W. Park Ave., Orange, Texas 77630.
Bob loved the color red. For those able to attend his service on Friday, if you can find a way to work some red in, he would love it.