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“When work, commitment, and pleasure all become one and you reach that deep well where passion lives, nothing is Impossible.”
Whether you call it destiny or pure chance, there’s a certain unques tionable symmetry in Bob Walker’s child hood. Born in the history-rich city of Charleston, West Virginia, he grew up amid the thriving college community of Institute, home to West Virginia State University—seemingly destined to make his own history.
Walker’s parents were both employed at the university. His mother worked as an assistant to the chemistry professor, and his dad worked in food services, bringing in all food supplies for the university’s cafeteria and dining hall. As well as Walker’s granddad, who was a legend in his own right at West Virginia State.
“Granddad only had a sixthgrade education, but he was a heck of an entrepreneur,” says Walker. “He not only maintained the university’s buildings and grounds, he also owned a restaurant across the street from the campus, along with several apartments for faculty housing. Plus, he started a taxi business in the 1940s, when white cab drivers weren’t willing to transport black students to and from the campus.”
Walker’s boyhood stomping grounds and family tradition of a strong work ethic clearly influenced his decision to be a teacher. Growing up in Institute also played prominently in his choice of a lifelong partner— the little girl down the street, Sylvia Phillips. Her mother baby sat Walker and his mother babysat Sylvia. Virtually inseparable in childhood, Bob and Sylvia eventually married and, in fact, recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary.
Walker also notes that both his dad and granddad had tremendous influence on his life. “They always emphasized the value of having passion for what you do,” he says, “otherwise, it would surely be reflected in your performance. My dad also told me that you never get a second chance to make a first impression.”
Let the Teaching Begin
Those words of wisdom served Walker well over the years. And, in 1964, after graduating from West Virginia State, he received his first teaching assignment as a Junior high biology instructor, becoming the first African- American teacher in an all-white rural suburb of Charleston.
Next came two years teaching public school in New York City’s Harlem community, which Walker describes as “one of the most enlightening and culturally diverse experiences” of his career.
While in New York City, Walker taught an adult education program that was created to assist disadvantaged youth in obtaining a high school diploma. He also served as an instructor at the New York City Police Academy, where he provided tutorial instruction in mathematics to police officers seeking promotion.
Walker continued his own education as well, with graduate studies at New York City’s Bank Street College and New York University. He also applied to medical school. Having been accepted as an alternate at the University of California, San Francisco, the Walkers made an interim move to Claremont, California. Once there, he and his wife were offered teaching positions with the Claremont Unified School District. Sylvia taught in the elementary schools and Walker was charged with the creation of an alternative education course for at-risk students. This course became known as the “opportunity” class, at Claremont High School. “That was the point where I realized youth education—not medicine—would be my life’s career,” says Walker. Two years later he accepted a teaching posi tion in Claremont High School’s biology depart - ment, where he remained until his retire ment more than 30 years later.
During his tenure at Claremont High School, Walker made many contributions that would forever change the school’s biology department. He developed an advanced biology course to prepare students for careers in the health sciences. And, he made national—and international—news when the school became the first in the nation to expose its students to oncampus dissection of a human body. The students used cats for their dissections, comparing the cat anatomy to Walker’s dissection of the human body. He also invited local physicians and surgeons to conduct after school and evening medical seminars in their specialties.
Workin’ on the Railroad
After teaching for over 30 years, Walker officially retired from teaching in 2007. He savored the extra time he had to pursue other passions. In 1998, Walker bought his first model steam engine, known as a “Big Boy” and transformed his home’s 500-squarefoot game room into a train room. He then began building his own model-railroading layout in earnest. With the help of his neighbor, David Lannom, and a few students who would drop in to help, he completed the layout six years later.
All told, Walker’s prized model train layout integrates railroad cars from the late 1800s, steam locomotive models, passenger trains from the 1940s and 1950s, plus present-day diesel engines, and both Amtrak and Metrolink trains. His setup also includes 135 switches, also known as turn-outs, which are used to route the individual trains, along with a round house that allows an engine to be turned 360 degrees and sent to a different track. Then there’s the meticulously constructed buildings and scenery including an oil refinery, cattle stockyard, trucking companies, steel mills, lumber yards, steam locomotive service facility, and a diesel engine service area, 1940’s ice house, passenger station and a farm house—complete with its own orange grove.
So Happy Together
The Walkers have three adult children—Robert, Ryan and Sheila—as well as one “grand dog.” Additionally, both Walkers have received numerous honors over the years including a joint lifetime achievement award from the Inland Valley Daily News. However, the Walkers remain modest about their awards, noting, “We just enjoy doing things we are passionate about.” The Walkers experienced a shock in 2006 when Sylvia was diagnosed with breast cancer. “It was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life,” says Walker. “I remember going to my office and crying. Fortunately, her surgery was extremely successful.”
While “officially” retired, Walker hasn’t exactly slowed down and neither has Sylvia. In addition to his passion for trains and photography, he started a public relations/ medical marketing business serving Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center’s Montclair Urgent Care Center. The new “Pomona Valley Health Center” building was completed in Feb ruary 2009, and Walker assisted with the transition of moving the closed Montclair Urgent Care offices to the new building located in Claremont. Once the transition was completed, Walker retired in June 2009.
After just seven months, Walker was invited back from retirement and is happily consulting in a part-time capacity. Sylvia is currently an active member of the Children’s Advocacy Center’s board of directors, along with member ship in many national organizations.
As for his current state of “un-retirement,” Walker says he feels especially fortunate to be spending this time with his childhood sweetheart still at his side.
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