Deane Emerson Walker  

He was a brother to Ivan M. Walker.

Deane Emerson Walker was born at Plymouth to Thomas M. Walker and Mariam (Mosher) Walker on December 31, 1892. He was the third of five children in this family, the others being: Marion Leroy, Blanche, Ivan Mosher and Naomi Ruth. His father died on February 11, 1900 while serving as Marshall county Recorder. Deane attended the Plymouth schools in grades first through third, the Greene township schools grades fourth through eighth, where his widowed mother mad moved her family to a farm. When he was 14, while harvesting corn, he slashed his right leg. Since this was a time before antibiotics, it was only through patient and determined nursing by his mother that his leg was saved, as the doctor had wanted to amputate. He did, however, miss one year of school and suffered a stiff right knee for the remainder of his life. He graduated from Culver High School in 1912. He further education was the obtaining of a Bachelor of Arts degree from Tri-State College at Angola in 1922 and a Masters of Arts degree from teachers College of Columbia University in 1928.

On February 15, 1917 at Stoutsville, Ohio Deane and Iva Smith were united in marriage by her brother-in-law. Iva Walker died on July 27 1950.

On September 21, 1952 at Plymouth Deane and Lura Mae Holm were married. One daughter, Nancy Lynn, born on January 6, 1954, died in infancy.

Deane started his teaching career in 1912 in a one-rooms school, Washington School in Union township. He also served as a teacher, principal and superintendent of the Culver Schools. On August 16, 1925, he became County Superintendent of Schools of Marshall County, a position he held for 24 years. When he became superintendent, there were 53 schools in the county system. At the end of his tenure there were 12. The last two one-room schools were closed in 1947. He inaugurated reg ular monthly meetings of the township trustees in his office. Deane estimated that during these 24 years he traveled three quarters of a million miles. During this time he and the county superintendent of St. Joseph county inaugurated the publishing of New-Type tests which were used statewide for elementary semester testing. he was also a member of the State Board of Education from 1937 to 1945 and president of the County Superintendent's Association.

On November 2, 1948 Deane was elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction, the only native-born Marshall county individual to be elected to state office. He was sworn in to office on March 15, 1949 by Judge Paul Jasper and served in this office until March 15, 1951.

Other government service included serving as U. S. Collector of Customs for the Indianapolis port from 1951 to 1953 and as a member of the State highway Commission from 1953 to 1957.

In April of 1957, Deane joined the State Exchange Bank at Culver as a special representative until 1966 and then as manager and vice-president of the newly opened Plymouth branch from 1966 until his retirement in 1968. During his remaining years, Deane enjoyed travel, visiting with family and friends, and maintaining a keen interest in education and current events. He died at Plymouth on April 18, 1982 at the age of 89 after one month's illness.

Deane was an active member of Kiwanis, serving as president of the Plymouth Club and as lt. governor. He was a 50 year, 32^nd degree Mason belonging to the Culver lodge, the Scottish Rite at South Bend, and Shrine at Hammond. He was a member of the United Grace Church of Christ, first at Culver , then at Plymouth, and served as teacher, and Consistory member at both churches. He was a Plymouth School Board member for six years. As on of the organizers of Plymouth Industrial Development Corporation, he also served as a director and treasurer. Other memberships included the Indiana State Teachers Association, the American Association of School Administrators, Indiana Schoolsmen's Club and the Indiana Society of Chicago.

Lura Mae (Holm) Walker was born at Plymouth on February 14, 1917 to Ernest O. and Mary (Seider) Holm, the youngest of four children, the others being: Hattie (Holm) Pifer, Kelso E. Holm, and Julia (Holm) Griewank. She was educated in the Plymouth Schools, graduating in 1935. She was employed at various times as a secretary in both government and private business, but she most enjoyed her role as homemaker. She has been a member of Tri Kappa, has been active as a church school teacher and as a worker in her church women's group, both locally and in the Association. She has been a volunteer in Red Cross, the United Way, and Blueberry Festival Board, having served as a director and officer of the latter two groups, and has served on the Plymouth Library Board. She also had an interest in the political process, having served as Marshall county Democratic vice-chairman for four years. Currently she resides in Plymouth where she remains active as a member of the Hospital Axillary, Friends of the Library, First United Church of Christ, Marshall County historical Society and the local Council on Aging. - Lura M. Walker.

History of Marshall County Indiana Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986 -, Taylor Publishing Co., 1986, Publication # 357 of 1422, Marshall County Historical Society pg. 442-3

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Plymouth, Ind. - Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Johnson Funeral Home for Deane E. WALKER, 89, former Indiana superintendent of public instruction who died Sunday morning in the Pilgrim Manor nursing home here. A native of Plymouth, he was elected public instruction superintendent in 1948 and served a four-year term. He was Marshall County superintendent of schools for 23 years. He also was a member of the Indiana Highway Commission from 1953-57 and was vice-president of the State Exchange Bank at Plymouth from 1957-68. Friends may call at the funeral home today from 2 to 6 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Burial will be in the New Oak Hill Cemetery here. -- Tuesday, April 20, 1982 Rochester Sentinel

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married 1st 15 Feb 1917 in Plymouth, Marshall Co., Indiana Iva E. Smith BIRTH 14 Apr 1890 Marshall County, Indiana DEATH 1950 BURIAL Masonic Cemetery Culver, Marshall County, Indiana daughter of David Henry Smith & Sonora Alta Baker

married 2nd September 21, 1952, in Plymouth Marshall county Indiana Lura A. Holm BIRTH 14 Feb 1917 Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana DEATH 15 Oct 2005 Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana BURIAL Oak Hill Cemetery lymouth, Marshall County, Indiana, daughter of Ernest O. Holm & Mary Margaret Seider

Lura M. Walker, 88, a Plymouth resident most of her life, died at 5:10 p.m. on Saturday, October 15, 2005 in Pilgrim Manor Nursing Center, Plymouth, following an illness.

The daughter of Ernest O. and Mary Margaret Seider Holm, Lura was born on February 14, 1917 in Plymouth. She was a 1935 graduate of Plymouth High School.

On September 21, 1952, in Plymouth, Lura and Deane E. Walker were married. Deane died on April 18, 1982.

A secretary, she had worked in the Personnel department at Studebakers, had been secretary to the County Superintendent of Schools and the State Superintendent of Education, and had worked at the State Exchange Bank for nineteen years. Lura was a member of the First United Church of Christ, Plymouth, where she was a Sunday School Teacher, Church Jr. Department Superintendent and a member of the Church Council and a former Bremen Manor board member. She also was a member of the Marshall County Retired Teachers, a former Democratic Vice Chairman, had served two terms on the Plymouth Library Board, was a member of the Friends of the Library, and had been a volunteer at the Marshall County Historical Museum. She had also been secretary and treasurer and board member of the original United Way, and a board member and secretary of the original Blueberry Festival committee.

Lura is survived by a sister, Julia Griewank of Plymouth and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Deane; an infant daughter, Nancy Lynn; a brother Kelso Holm and a sister Hattie Pifer.

Friends will be welcomed by the family from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, October 18, 2005, in the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St., Plymouth.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 19, 2005, in the funeral home. The Rev. Steven Voelker, pastor of the First United Church of Christ will officiate

Burial will be in New Oakhill Cemetery, Plymouth.

Memorial gifts in Lura's name may be made to the First United Church of Christ.

Deane Merson Walker and Laura A Holm

Nancy Lynn Walker BIRTH 6 Jan 1954 Baldwyn, Lee County, Mississippi, DEATH 7 Jan 1954 Baldwyn, Lee County, Mississippi BURIAL Oak Hill Cemetery Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana,