Carroll Wayne Walker

Carroll Wayne Walker graduated from this life to his eternal life on October 10, 2024. He died much like he lived, looking out over a lake surrounded by family, music, and scriptures. Carroll was born in Texas on January 3, 1948 and grew up in Louisiana during the pre-air conditioning era. This likely explains why at 12 years old he decided to move to Montana thanks to a book describing a magical place where snow fell on the mountains and the temperature never got above 100 degrees. After proudly serving four years as an Engineer with the Prime Beef Unit in the Air Force, he got in his car and drove north until he found himself in Big Sky Country. 

 At a fork in the road on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, Carroll let the flip of a coin decide which city he would drive to to find a church. He ended up in Butte, where he saw the love of his life playing the piano at the Pentecostal Church. They had their first date that Sunday, and at the end of the night, that beautiful piano player told him she didn’t care if she ever saw him again. Thankfully, his persistence paid off and less than a year after that first date, Carroll married Susan Hegstad. Carroll loved many things throughout his 76 years -- his family, fly fishing, his mustang, and the Dallas Cowboys to name a few -- but he never loved any of them as much as he loved Sue. Their marriage blew the stories of fairy tales out of the water, because it was a relationship rooted in reality and built on the firm foundation of Christ. In their 53 years, they inspired countless couples with their faithfulness, their sacrificial love, their faith, their friendship, and the fact that five decades later, they were still crazy about each other. 

 Carroll attended Montana Tech and worked for the Anaconda Company, but ultimately found his career path in a grocery store on Dewey Avenue. After serving as a local and regional manager, he bought Western Warehouse Foods, which became known simply as Carroll’s. He had a reputation throughout Montana as an honest and generous businessman who never met a stranger. If a family came into Carroll’s unable to afford their groceries, he quietly gave them what they needed for no charge. 

 Carroll also pastored that same Pentecostal Church where he met Sue. He shepherded hundreds of people over three decades and came out of retirement more than once when other churches he attended in Montana and Texas had a need. 

 Even so, Carroll’s legacy isn’t found inside the walls of a church building. His greatest sermon was the life he lived day in and day out. Even as he battled health problems including cancer, for nearly a decade, his faith never wavered. Without fail, every time he was asked how he was doing, he would reply “Fantastic.” Through chemo, a triple by-pass, a stem cell transplant, multiple hospital stays, and more, Carroll kept his eye fixed firmly on Jesus. 

 Carroll’s life can be summed up in three words; Faith, Family, and Fishing. He loved the Lord above all else and truly believed that every good and perfect gift comes from God. His most prized gifts were his wife, his two children, and his five grandchildren. Everything he worked for was for their good. He would preach on Sunday morning and lead a pickup flag football game Sunday afternoon before returning to the church to preach again on Sunday night. He was the creator of games and the entertainer of children and adults alike. Many of you have no doubt been bested at Carroll Never Loses, tried to catch the $100 bill, and were wrong about which coins were under his palms. 

 He was a true fisher of men, and also a fisher of fish. His love of fishing started early in his life and continued until the day he died. His happiest place was in his boat on Georgetown Lake, surrounded by mountains with his line in the water. It didn’t matter if he caught a dozen fish or didn’t have a bite all day, Carroll believed that any time spent fishing was time well spent. Throughout his life, he shared his love and knowledge of fishing with a multitude of people. He had endless patience untangling lines, restringing poles, and baiting hooks for the people too afraid to touch a worm. Just a few days before his final hospitalization he was at the dock fishing. 

 Carroll lived a beautiful life and was in no hurry to die, but he longed for heaven. He always spoke of it with awe, never fear. He insisted that his funeral be a tear-free celebration, knowing that as soon as he closed the book on this life, he would begin writing an eternal story from his true Home. We have no doubt that after meeting his Savior, he started scoping out the best fishing spots on the Crystal Sea. 

 A viewing and visitation will be held on Friday, October 18 from 6-8 p.m. at Lucas Funerals and Cremations- Burleson located at 518 SW Johnson Ave. in Burleson, Texas. A Service Celebrating Carroll’s Life (Yippee!) will be held on Saturday, October 19 at 10 a.m. at the same location. We invite attendees to dress in fishing, Rangers, or Cowboys attire.

 Carroll is survived by his best friend and wife Sue, their two children Jason Walker and his wife Victoria and Kristen Walker Escovedo and her husband Richie, his five grandchildren Aubree, Elijah, and Elliot Walker and Anna and Ryan Escovedo, his two bonus daughters Kim Brewer and Kathy Skonieczny, his brother Leonard Walker, his sisters Iva Sawyer and Georgia Sanderson, his brother in law Spencer Hegstad and his wife Lillian, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. He is preceded in death by his mom Ruth Huddleston, his brother Raliegh Walker, and his sisters Jarvis Campbell and Ruby Cavaness.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Carroll's name to: Journey Church in Butte, MT or Crowley Assembly of God in Crowley, TX