Lois Walker

� Lois Simmons Walker passed away peacefully on December 29, 2014 after a long illness. The daughter of John Alexander and Flossie Burge Simmons, Lois was born in Mt. Airy, North Carolina in 1930 and grew up on a working tobacco farm. She was a star basketball player at Pilot Mountain High School where she graduated in 1946. Lois also played basketball at Appalachian State University where she met her future husband, William Love "Bill" Walker, of Walker Robinson and Clark Insurance, to whom she was happily married for 58 years. She graduated from ASU with a undergraduate degree in Biology and Physical Education and later earned a Masters Degree in Counseling. Lois Walker worked for Statesville High School for 26 years, serving as a biology and physical education teacher, guidance counselor and faculty advisor to Student Council. She also coached women's basketball with the late Herb Sampsel as well as the men and women's tennis teams. In 1984, Lois was elected to the North Carolina State House of Representatives where she represented Iredell County for three terms and served on various subcommittees. Governor Jim Hunt also appointed her as the North Carolina representative on the Southern Regional Education Board. She was active in the Statesville Woman's Club, the Statesville Recreation Department, the Head Start program and sang in the choir at the First ARP Church. Lois was an avid tennis player, playing on the Statesville tennis team for many years. She also played in senior tennis tournaments all over the southeast and was state ranked #3 in 60 doubles. Lois was preceded in death by her husband Bill Walker. Lois is survived by her son Bo Walker and his wife Michelle of Statesville, daughter Enid Walker Butler of Williamsburg, VA, grandchildren Alex and Tracy Walker and Lela Butler, siblings Kathleen Edwards, Marcelene Roberts and Roger Simmons. She was a great lady, always ready with a beautiful smile, a word of encouragement and a helping hand. She was greatly cherished and will be sorely missed. Visitation will be Friday evening January 2nd from 6 - 8pm at Nicholson Funeral Home. Her Celebration of Life will be held at 1:00 PM Saturday January 3 at the First ARP Church in Statesville, NC. Burial will follow in Oakwood Cemetery with a reception immediately following at Rhisto's. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Shriner's Hospitals for Children, 604 Doug Mayes Place, Charlotte, NC 28262. Online condolences can be made to the family at nicholsonfunerals.com and Nicholson Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.