Obituary: Walker, Scott Leroy M.D.
Age 94
Scott Leroy Walker, M.D, passed away May 11, 2014 in Portland, Oregon at the age of 94.
He was born to Harry Walker and Margaret Lang in Wishek, North Dakota on July 9, 1919.
Margaret was part of the German farmer migration from the steppes of Russia that relocated to south central North Dakota in the late 1800s.
Scott grew up in Ellendale, North Dakota.
He became well known for his talent as a clarinet and saxophone player, and played in local bands.
He was the winner of the talent show in high school.
Following graduation during the depths of the depression in 1937, he joined the U. S. Army 1st Cavalry at Fort Mead, South Dakota and played in the band.
After discharge he attended the University of North Dakota at Grand Forks, where he met and married Jeanne LaFleur in 1940.
Following the beginning of World War II at Pearl Harbor, he joined the Navy and became a radio operator.
At the end of the war he was a communications officer on the USS Essex.
Inspired by Navy doctors on the aircraft carrier he returned to UND in the pre-med program.
He graduated from the Bowman Gray School of Medicine at Wake Forest in 1950.
After internship at the Detroit Receiving Hospital, he did a residency in general practice at the Butte Montana Community Hospital.
In 1953 he went into private practice in Anaconda, Montana as a physician and surgeon.
He thrived at being a small town doctor, making house calls, removing tonsils and appendixes, having many friends, enjoying hunting and fishing, being a Rotarian, and raising dogs.
He also joined the Freemasons and Shrine.
He played in the Shriners band in Butte and Deer Lodge.
In Spokane he joined the El Katif concert and Dixieland bands, and continued in Portland with the Al Kader band into his nineties.
He remained a member until his death.
In 1962 he married Marian Peterson Mohan.
He entered the radiology residency program at the Dallas, Texas Veterans Hospital.
He later served in the VA at Portland and Spokane, where he became chief of radiology.
Following retirement he and Marian moved to Wilsonville, Oregon.
He will be remembered for his long interest in the practice of medicine, retiring in his late 70’s.
He was interested in politics, and usually took the side of the party that was out of favor.
He was a champion of the underdog.
He had varied interests including being a licensed HAM radio operator, private pilot, sports fan of the Gonzaga Bulldogs and Oregon Ducks and Beavers, and the breeding and training of dogs.
His love of music and skill was passed on to many children and grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by wife Marian, son Kurt Lang Walker, three sisters and a brother.
He leaves to survive children, Scott Walker (Cherie) Bellingham, WA; Kathy Mohan (Todd Hubbard) Seattle, WA; Jim Mohan (April Jones) Portland, OR; Brent Walker, Gresham, OR; and Karen DeMartini (Kevin) Austin, TX, as well as ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
The funeral will be held at the Skyline Memorial Gardens of Portland, Oregon.
The family requests that any donations be made to the local animal care shelter.