Dr. Robert A Walker was a pioneer in the field of medicine in Alhambra, opening his practice here in 1921, and up to the time of his death on October 7, 1960, he was noted as one of the most outstanding men in the medical profession in the San Gabriel Valley. Memories of the personable Dr. Walker will linger on for many years.
Born in Stonefort, Illinois, on July 24, 1891, he was the son of Urban L. and Oda (Arnold) Walker. His father was a retired lumberman.
He received his early education in Herrin, southern Illinois, graduating from the University of Illinois at Champlain in 1911, after taking a medical preparatory course. Dr. Walker was a young man when he came to Alhambra, staying here for only three months. He returned to Illinois, going into business with his father. Two years later in 1913 the lovable doctor returned to Alhambra, engaging in the mercantile business for two years.
With a strong urge to carry out his lifelong ambition to study medicine, Dr. Walker entered the Medical School at the University of Southern California. Not satisfied with the training he was receiving, he transferred to the Medical School at the University of Illinois in Chicago in 1916. It was from this institution that he received his academic and professional degrees, graduating in 1918. He served his internship at St. Ann's Hospital in Chicago. Dr. Walker returned to Alhambra for the third time in 1920, to begin his long and active medical practice. He married Miss Avis Louise McNeill, a native of Herrin, Illinois, on December 25, 1911, in Los Angeles, California, on his first visit to this state. The Walker's are the parents of three children, Mrs. Helen Mae Davis, who is employed at the Alhambra Community Hospital which her father helped to found; Mrs. Dorothy Fillius, a resident of Ontario, California; and Robert A., Jr., who resides in San Diego, California. A dream come true was when Dr. Walker became one of the founders of the Alhambra Hospital in 1920. The hospital was owned and operated privately by local men in the medical profession and principally through the efforts of Dr. Walker, after many years of unending work, this institution in 1952, became the Alhambra Community Hospital, a non-profit organization.
While carrying on his busy practice, Dr. Walker was one of the founders and a member of the council of the Public Health League of California. Until his death he was a life member and director of the Alhambra Community Hospital. He also held memberships in the American, California, and Los Angeles County Medical Associations.
A life member of the B.P.O.E., Alhambra Lodge No. 1328, he served on the board of trustees for many years and was an honorary member of the Past Exalted Rules Association. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a Shriner. Dr. Walker was an active member of the Alhambra Rotary Club from 1924 to 1940, having almost 16 years of perfect attendance. He served as president of this body in 1931-32. During the War years, he was an honorary member because his busy practice did not permit him to keep up his attendance. He was also a member of the First Baptist Church of Alhambra.
Bubbling with personality, Dr. Walker was a true lover of poetry, reading it often. When writing to his family and friends on special occasions, such as birthdays and anniversaries, he usually included a poem befitting the person or occasion with his letter or card.
During his later years of semi-retirement, Dr. Walker wrote a book containing biographies of many of the leading doctors of Alhambra who were deceased. This book is permanently on file at the Alhambra Community Hospital.
The hard work and deep devotion he held for his job will continue to be remembered for many years to come in Alhambra—the city Dr. Robert A. Walker called home for the greater part of his life.
Born in Stonefort, Illinois, on July 24, 1891, he was the son of Urban L. and Oda (Arnold) Walker. His father was a retired lumberman.
He received his early education in Herrin, southern Illinois, graduating from the University of Illinois at Champlain in 1911, after taking a medical preparatory course. Dr. Walker was a young man when he came to Alhambra, staying here for only three months. He returned to Illinois, going into business with his father. Two years later in 1913 the lovable doctor returned to Alhambra, engaging in the mercantile business for two years.
With a strong urge to carry out his lifelong ambition to study medicine, Dr. Walker entered the Medical School at the University of Southern California. Not satisfied with the training he was receiving, he transferred to the Medical School at the University of Illinois in Chicago in 1916. It was from this institution that he received his academic and professional degrees, graduating in 1918. He served his internship at St. Ann's Hospital in Chicago. Dr. Walker returned to Alhambra for the third time in 1920, to begin his long and active medical practice. He married Miss Avis Louise McNeill, a native of Herrin, Illinois, on December 25, 1911, in Los Angeles, California, on his first visit to this state. The Walker's are the parents of three children, Mrs. Helen Mae Davis, who is employed at the Alhambra Community Hospital which her father helped to found; Mrs. Dorothy Fillius, a resident of Ontario, California; and Robert A., Jr., who resides in San Diego, California. A dream come true was when Dr. Walker became one of the founders of the Alhambra Hospital in 1920. The hospital was owned and operated privately by local men in the medical profession and principally through the efforts of Dr. Walker, after many years of unending work, this institution in 1952, became the Alhambra Community Hospital, a non-profit organization.
While carrying on his busy practice, Dr. Walker was one of the founders and a member of the council of the Public Health League of California. Until his death he was a life member and director of the Alhambra Community Hospital. He also held memberships in the American, California, and Los Angeles County Medical Associations.
A life member of the B.P.O.E., Alhambra Lodge No. 1328, he served on the board of trustees for many years and was an honorary member of the Past Exalted Rules Association. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a Shriner. Dr. Walker was an active member of the Alhambra Rotary Club from 1924 to 1940, having almost 16 years of perfect attendance. He served as president of this body in 1931-32. During the War years, he was an honorary member because his busy practice did not permit him to keep up his attendance. He was also a member of the First Baptist Church of Alhambra.
Bubbling with personality, Dr. Walker was a true lover of poetry, reading it often. When writing to his family and friends on special occasions, such as birthdays and anniversaries, he usually included a poem befitting the person or occasion with his letter or card.
During his later years of semi-retirement, Dr. Walker wrote a book containing biographies of many of the leading doctors of Alhambra who were deceased. This book is permanently on file at the Alhambra Community Hospital.
The hard work and deep devotion he held for his job will continue to be remembered for many years to come in Alhambra—the city Dr. Robert A. Walker called home for the greater part of his life.
Dr. Robert A Walker was a pioneer in the field of medicine in Alhambra, opening his practice here in 1921, and up to the time of his death on October 7, 1960, he was noted as one of the most outstanding men in the medical profession in the San Gabriel Valley. Memories of the personable Dr. Walker will linger on for many years.
Born in Stonefort, Illinois, on July 24, 1891, he was the son of Urban L. and Oda (Arnold) Walker. His father was a retired lumberman.
He received his early education in Herrin, southern Illinois, graduating from the University of Illinois at Champlain in 1911, after taking a medical preparatory course. Dr. Walker was a young man when he came to Alhambra, staying here for only three months. He returned to Illinois, going into business with his father. Two years later in 1913 the lovable doctor returned to Alhambra, engaging in the mercantile business for two years.
With a strong urge to carry out his lifelong ambition to study medicine, Dr. Walker entered the Medical School at the University of Southern California. Not satisfied with the training he was receiving, he transferred to the Medical School at the University of Illinois in Chicago in 1916. It was from this institution that he received his academic and professional degrees, graduating in 1918. He served his internship at St. Ann's Hospital in Chicago. Dr. Walker returned to Alhambra for the third time in 1920, to begin his long and active medical practice. He married Miss Avis Louise McNeill, a native of Herrin, Illinois, on December 25, 1911, in Los Angeles, California, on his first visit to this state. The Walker's are the parents of three children, Mrs. Helen Mae Davis, who is employed at the Alhambra Community Hospital which her father helped to found; Mrs. Dorothy Fillius, a resident of Ontario, California; and Robert A., Jr., who resides in San Diego, California. A dream come true was when Dr. Walker became one of the founders of the Alhambra Hospital in 1920. The hospital was owned and operated privately by local men in the medical profession and principally through the efforts of Dr. Walker, after many years of unending work, this institution in 1952, became the Alhambra Community Hospital, a non-profit organization.
While carrying on his busy practice, Dr. Walker was one of the founders and a member of the council of the Public Health League of California. Until his death he was a life member and director of the Alhambra Community Hospital. He also held memberships in the American, California, and Los Angeles County Medical Associations.
A life member of the B.P.O.E., Alhambra Lodge No. 1328, he served on the board of trustees for many years and was an honorary member of the Past Exalted Rules Association. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a Shriner. Dr. Walker was an active member of the Alhambra Rotary Club from 1924 to 1940, having almost 16 years of perfect attendance. He served as president of this body in 1931-32. During the War years, he was an honorary member because his busy practice did not permit him to keep up his attendance. He was also a member of the First Baptist Church of Alhambra.
Bubbling with personality, Dr. Walker was a true lover of poetry, reading it often. When writing to his family and friends on special occasions, such as birthdays and anniversaries, he usually included a poem befitting the person or occasion with his letter or card.
During his later years of semi-retirement, Dr. Walker wrote a book containing biographies of many of the leading doctors of Alhambra who were deceased. This book is permanently on file at the Alhambra Community Hospital.
The hard work and deep devotion he held for his job will continue to be remembered for many years to come in Alhambra—the city Dr. Robert A. Walker called home for the greater part of his life.
Born in Stonefort, Illinois, on July 24, 1891, he was the son of Urban L. and Oda (Arnold) Walker. His father was a retired lumberman.
He received his early education in Herrin, southern Illinois, graduating from the University of Illinois at Champlain in 1911, after taking a medical preparatory course. Dr. Walker was a young man when he came to Alhambra, staying here for only three months. He returned to Illinois, going into business with his father. Two years later in 1913 the lovable doctor returned to Alhambra, engaging in the mercantile business for two years.
With a strong urge to carry out his lifelong ambition to study medicine, Dr. Walker entered the Medical School at the University of Southern California. Not satisfied with the training he was receiving, he transferred to the Medical School at the University of Illinois in Chicago in 1916. It was from this institution that he received his academic and professional degrees, graduating in 1918. He served his internship at St. Ann's Hospital in Chicago. Dr. Walker returned to Alhambra for the third time in 1920, to begin his long and active medical practice. He married Miss Avis Louise McNeill, a native of Herrin, Illinois, on December 25, 1911, in Los Angeles, California, on his first visit to this state. The Walker's are the parents of three children, Mrs. Helen Mae Davis, who is employed at the Alhambra Community Hospital which her father helped to found; Mrs. Dorothy Fillius, a resident of Ontario, California; and Robert A., Jr., who resides in San Diego, California. A dream come true was when Dr. Walker became one of the founders of the Alhambra Hospital in 1920. The hospital was owned and operated privately by local men in the medical profession and principally through the efforts of Dr. Walker, after many years of unending work, this institution in 1952, became the Alhambra Community Hospital, a non-profit organization.
While carrying on his busy practice, Dr. Walker was one of the founders and a member of the council of the Public Health League of California. Until his death he was a life member and director of the Alhambra Community Hospital. He also held memberships in the American, California, and Los Angeles County Medical Associations.
A life member of the B.P.O.E., Alhambra Lodge No. 1328, he served on the board of trustees for many years and was an honorary member of the Past Exalted Rules Association. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a Shriner. Dr. Walker was an active member of the Alhambra Rotary Club from 1924 to 1940, having almost 16 years of perfect attendance. He served as president of this body in 1931-32. During the War years, he was an honorary member because his busy practice did not permit him to keep up his attendance. He was also a member of the First Baptist Church of Alhambra.
Bubbling with personality, Dr. Walker was a true lover of poetry, reading it often. When writing to his family and friends on special occasions, such as birthdays and anniversaries, he usually included a poem befitting the person or occasion with his letter or card.
During his later years of semi-retirement, Dr. Walker wrote a book containing biographies of many of the leading doctors of Alhambra who were deceased. This book is permanently on file at the Alhambra Community Hospital.
The hard work and deep devotion he held for his job will continue to be remembered for many years to come in Alhambra—the city Dr. Robert A. Walker called home for the greater part of his life.
