Los Angeles
County
Biographies
ROBERT A. WALKER, M. D.
(Deceased)
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.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Historical Volume & Reference Works Including Alhambra, Monterey Park,
Rosemead, San Gabriel & Temple City, by Robert P. Studer,
Pages 501-503, Historical Publ., Los Angeles, California. 1962.
© 2013 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPHIES