Elizabeth “Betty” Walker (née Carpenter) passed away peacefully at home on November 13, 2024, with her family by her side. Betty was born on February 6, 1924 in Brownhills, England to Dora and David Carpenter, the fourth of eight children.

At nearly 101 years old, Betty lived a tremendous life — powered by her fighting spirit. During WWII, she worked as a bomb inspector, a critical role during the war effort, and met her first husband, an American soldier. She always dreamed of emigrating to America, and in 1947, she set sail on the S.S. America to realize this dream. She moved to Humboldt County in the early 1950s, after a brief period in Arkansas.

After her divorce, Betty began working at Ten Window Williams Jewelers in Old Town Eureka, where she developed lifelong friendships with owners, Bill and Mollie Williams. She became a familiar face in commercials and advertisements for the store and even served as the trophy girl for races at Redwood Acres. It was at Ten Window Williams that she met her second husband, Earl Walker of Walker & Sons Logging out of Blue Lake, California, when he came in to purchase a watch. After a brief courtship, the couple married in 1957 at the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Throughout her life, she was fiercely loyal to her family and friends and did everything in her power to promote the betterment of their lives. Inspired by her son Ron, who was born with Down Syndrome, Betty became a passionate advocate for individuals with disabilities. As an example of this, she was the president, and later chairperson, of Humboldt Community Access and Resource Center (HCARC), and was awarded Humboldt County’s “Citizen of the Year” in 1977 for her dedication. She was also instrumental in starting the Glen Paul School for special education. Though she remained in Eureka for most of her life, the family lived in Scottsdale, Arizona for five years during the 1960’s where Betty served on the Scottsdale Beautification Commission.

A secret to Betty’s longevity was her passion for projects and many hobbies. She maintained beautiful gardens and a large property, which was featured in the Eureka Times-Standard; she loved creating unique crafts and gifts for her children and grandchildren and could whip up just about anything on her beloved sewing machine; she enjoyed her Victorian dollhouse and creating many additions and details — including decorating it for the holidays; and she was also a fantastic cook and baker — famous for her pumpkin and blackberry pies, lemon torte, and salmon with parsley sauce. She loved reminiscing every Saturday with her sister Gladys, who passed away earlier this year, about their childhood in England and Betty’s many visits home, including sailing famed ocean liners, the R.M.S. Queen Mary and the R.M.S. Queen Elizabeth.

Betty is survived by her five children: Linda Savage (Clark) of Monterey; Larry Walker (Lola) of Delta, Colorado; Wanda Dewalt (Don) of Phoenix; Ken Walker of McKinleyville; and Ron Walker of Eureka. She shared a special and unique bond with each of her grandchildren, including Jenny Savage (Jordan Pratt-Thatcher) of Big Sur; Katie Savage (Michael Handy) of Cayucos; Meagan Savage of Long Beach; Kimberly Walker of Phoenix; Charles Holmes of Phoenix; Jody Walker (Gareth Carter) of Brownhills, England; and Sindy Weals (Darren) of Brownhills, England. Her love extended to her great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren, who will also continue her legacy. She was preceded in death by her seven siblings; husband, Earl; and grandson-in-law, Michael Handy, who passed the day before Betty.

The family wishes to express heartfelt gratitude to Betty’s daughter, Linda, for her loving care during Betty’s final months, ensuring her wish to remain at home was fulfilled. They also extend special thanks to Betty’s dear friends, Dr. Don Iverson, Teresa Pearl, and Darla Dale, for their enduring friendship, love, and support, as well as Hospice of Humboldt for their compassionate care.

A celebration of life will be held for friends and family early next year. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Shriners Children’s or Hospice of Humboldt.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Betty Walker’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.