Andrew Wade Walker

Andrew Wade Walker, 73, of Cedar Hills, Utah, died unexpectedly in California while road-tripping with his wife and visiting his daughter and her family on October 29, 2022, at Glendale Adventist Hospital. One of the closest hospitals to Chavez Ravine, home of the Dodgers!  He was the first child and only son of five, born in Schenectady, New York, May 19, 1949, to Aaron Eugene & Maudra Bell Newell Walker. Andy grew up in Ontario, California playing baseball, basketball, the trumpet and annoying his four younger sisters. As a kid, Andy annually made the long drive in the back of the family station wagon to Mississippi to visit his Grandma and his cousins. He loved those days. He graduated from Chaffey High School. At 17, he lost his kidney in a dune buggy accident that changed his spiritual perspective, binding him to Jesus Christ for the rest of his life. Andy spent two freezing winters in Wisconsin, serving in the Northern States mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He attended BYU where he met DeeAnn Buchmiller.  They married September 17, 1971, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple.  Andy later graduated from BYU in elementary education. His first teaching job was with 6th graders in Tooele, Utah. He went on to earn his special education endorsement and taught children with special needs for 30 years at the Utah State Training School and Dan Peterson School both in American Fork, Utah. He loved his students. 

Andy loved traveling to national parks, spring training to watch the Dodgers, the Holy Land, family reunions, timeshare weeks at Snowbird and his children’s homes. He loved taking his family to church in all of these places. He loved sports and was a die-hard LA Dodgers, BYU Cougars & Utah Jazz fan. He loved beautiful things—music, art, theater, his pond and the mountains.  He often brought flowers in from the garden. 

Andy served with DeeAnn for 18 months in the California Fresno mission. He served two service missions, one at the American Fork LDS employment center & the other at the Saratoga Springs Special Needs Seminary. Andy’s favorite calling in the church was teaching Primary. Andy believed that the sealing power was for heaven and earth and that family trips brought the family closer together. He enjoyed snow skiing, collecting baseball cards, doing yard work, reflecting on and sharing music, talking to strangers and eating sweets, especially Daylight Donuts. He enjoyed time with good friends and could talk your ear off. He leaves the legacy of providing a great life for his family and his testimony of Jesus Christ.  Just over a year ago, Andy & DeeAnn celebrated 50 years of marriage with their children & grandchildren on the beach in Destin, Florida. 

Andy is survived by his wife, DeeAnn; five children, Andrea (Brandon) Keller, Cedar Park, TX; Carolyn (Joe) Kunic, Arlington, VA; Johnny (Chelsie) Walker, Bluffdale, UT; Brittany (Andrew) Church, Coppell, TX; and Dianna (Clay) Marshall, La Crescenta, CA; eleven grandchildren with one on the way including two grandchildren who just returned from serving LDS missions. His four sisters, Chrisann (Jim) Westmoreland, Escalon, CA; Sherry (Glade) Capell, Salida, CA; Karen (Rick) Gale, Ogden, UT; Valorie Dangerfield, Lehi, UT also survive him. His 13 ½ year old daughter, Erin, and his parents preceded him in death.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 5, 2022, at the Cedar Hills 3rd Ward chapel, 4355 W. Cedar Hills Dr., Cedar Hills, UT.  Friends may call at the church prior to services from 12:30-1:30 p.m.  Interment, Lehi City Cemetery. 

Services will be streamed live on the Russon Mortuary & Crematory Facebook page and on this obituary page on Saturday, November 5, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. MST.  The live stream will begin about 10-15 minutes prior to the service and will be posted below.