McGregor Independent Resident, Leon Walker shares his experiences – 90 years young!
“I have seen lots of progress throughout my life, but we still need to make more if we are to
improve this world for the better”
From raising chickens on the family farm to working in his father’s community grocery store to helping at-risk children around the country, Mr. Leon Walker has committed his life to sharing with others.
Leon was born on October 19, 1931, in Cleveland, OH. He was the youngest of five brothers and sisters, each of whom was older than him by at least 15 years. Because of this age gap, he spent most of his earlier years playing with friends in his neighborhood.
In 1938, Leon’s 76-year-old grandmother from Florida came to live with Leon’s family. Leon’s grandmother played a tremendous role in Leon’s life because she brought him to Wednesday night church services every week, where Leon learned to make the world a slightly more beautiful place by making music. While he did not go on to have a career in music, Leon was passionate about singing. Throughout his life, Leon sang in an acapella classical music choir, a glee club, a gospel group, and in the home with his wife and children.
Directly inspired by their father, Leon’s children went on to do things such as serve in the Navy, work as a manager, design, and construct buildings throughout the country, help children as a speech-language pathologist, or inspire others through teaching, writing books, and presenting as a public speaker.
“I have seen lots of progress throughout my life, but we still need to make more if we are to improve this world for the better,” Leon concluded. Leon spends his days actively contributing to this progress by mentoring his children, his grandchildren, and volunteers who have come to serve the residents of McGregor Senior Living in the wisdom that he has acquired throughout his rich life of sharing with his community.
Read the entire Leon Walker Story