Bloubergstrand’s Professor Walker dies at 91

A memorial service will be held next year for laser scientist Professor Hildreth (Hal) Walker Jr, of Bloubergstrand, who passed away on November 24.

The body of the 91-year-old professor is in the process of being repatriated to his family in Los Angeles, California, in the United States of America, and is expected to arrive there this week.

He will be laid to rest on Thursday December 19.

According to a close friend and Blouberg Rotary Club member Helène Visser, Professor Walker passed away peacefully at the Netcare Blaauwberg Hospital after contracting pneumonia.

She said his final moments were spent with his wife Dr Bettye Walker by his side.

Ms Visser said although Professor Walker was an extremely intelligent man, he was humble and had a passion for working with children.

“He was loved by all who crossed his path, especially kids because his storytelling about astronauts and the moon were very intriguing. He will be dearly missed by all,” she said.

Professor Walker is known to be the first African-American to successfully fire the KORAD-1500 Ruby Laser to the moon in 1969 during the Apollo 11 Moon Landing, when American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin became the first humans to land on the moon.

Professor Walker co-founded with Dr Walker the A-MAN non-profit corporation in the USA, to nurture young African-American and other minority students with particular emphasis in science and mathematics.

They established science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) Centres in South Africa at the invitation of then President Nelson Mandela and subsequently implemented science and technology programmes in township schools across the country.

For the past 25 years, the couple have been commuting between Bloubergstrand and Los Angeles.

On February 27, 2019, they opened the first chapter of the National Space Society on the African continent, being the Cape Town Space Society.

Both Professor and Dr Walker have been Rotarians for the past 30 years, currently as members of the Downtown Rotary Club in Los Angeles and Honorary members of the Blouberg Rotary Club in Cape Town.

They developed partnerships with Rotary Clubs in Cape Town and Pretoria and were partners in the set up of 14 computer labs in various schools in the Blouberg and Milnerton area.

Together with the Rotary Club of Blouberg and several other Rotary clubs around the world, including the Downtown Rotary Club in Los Angeles and The Rotary Foundation, they were partners in the purchase of various pieces of medical equipment for the Tygerberg Children’s Hospital and most recently the Sonar Bronchoscope.

Profesor Walker is survived by his wife, Dr Walker, children Alliso, and Raymond, and grandchildren, Raishauna, Justin, Kara, Lance, Nile, Mecca, and Asia; and 17 great-grandchildren.

The details of the memorial service will be on Tabletalk’s website once all preparations are finalised.