Lois Oswalt Walker

Lois Thornton Oswalt Walker Lois Elaine Thornton Oswalt Walker, age 93, was born June 14, 1924 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and died March 22, 2018 in Hammond, Louisiana. She was the eldest of two children born to Virgil Earle and Janie Henderson Thornton. She grew up in Tuscaloosa and attended the University of Alabama for three years. When a farm boy from Fayette County, Alabama, John Macon Oswalt came to study at the university, they met, courted, and married. They were married for over 50 years, celebrating their 50th Anniversary in June of 1993. Upon Macon’s graduation, they moved to Fort Worth, Texas, where he attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as either a supply preacher or pastor during his time in graduate school. Upon his graduation, he accepted the pastorate of the First Baptist Church, Blanchard, LA (just northwest of Shreveport). During their time there, Lois completed her college requirements and graduated from Centenary College in Shreveport. She also gave birth to two sons, Lynn and Lonn. After three years in Blanchard, they moved to Bogalusa around 1950 and then to Hammond in 1954. Two additional children, Lewis and Lori, were born in Bogalusa and Hammond, respectively. Reverend Oswalt served as pastor of First Baptist Church in Hammond for 31 years, retiring in 1985. Throughout those years, Lois served as a stay-at-home mom and was a fixture at Zemurray Park (Little League games) for a dozen years. In the churches they served, she sang in the choir, taught Sunday School, was involved in mission’s organizations and served in many other roles where help was needed. Later she went to work as a secretary, serving for many years at Hammond High School where she worked with a number of different administrators and got to know literally hundreds of students. Even in her later years, she could hardly go out to eat or any other public place without being recognized and spoken to by former colleagues (teachers and administrators) and student who recognized her and wanted to say “Hi”. Not long after Rev. Macon Oswalt died, Lois was contacted by a long-time friend and recently retired pastor, Rev. I.D. Walker, who was himself a widower. After a short courtship, they married and lived very happily for a little over two years before his death. Lois leaves to cherish her memory her four children: Dr. Lynn Oswalt (Jan) of Baton Rouge, Rev. Lonn Oswalt (Charlotte) of Clinton, Miss., Dr. Lewis Oswalt (Lisa) also of Clinton, Miss., and Mrs. Lori Hamel (Don) of Pumpkin Center. She is also survived by twelve grandchildren and thirty- seven great-grandchildren. Lois remained active in church, garden club, water aerobics, and other activities until just a couple of years ago. She also enjoyed singing in senior adult choirs at churches in the Hammond-Ponchatoula area, as well as attending meetings of the local Baptist association of churches. Over the last decade of her life, she was a resident of either Live Oak Assisted Living or Summerfield in Hammond. Needless to say, she had a very positive influence on her family and friends, her neighbors, her church community, and the many young people with whom she had contact during her time at Hammond High. The family wishes to thank the many care-givers, (especially faithful sitter Mary Lou Sharp), that have assisted her in so many ways, including church members who generously provided transportation so that she could continue to attend church and other activities until her health began to fail. She was 93 when she died on Thursday, March 22, 2018. Relatives and friends are invited to a visitation held at First Baptist Church, Hammond on Sunday, March 25, 2018 from 1:00 p.m. until the Celebration of Life service at 3:00 p.m. Pastor Jeff Robinson will officiate the service and interment will follow at Parklawn Gardens Cemetery. Memorial gifts may be made in her honor at the First Baptist Church, Hammond.

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Lois Oswalt Walker

June 14, 1924 - March 22, 2018