Richard “Dick” Stalker Jr., a lifelong Walworth resident known for his service and sharp wit, passed away peacefully on February 17 at age 86.
Stalker dedicated decades to his family, his community, and the Walworth Fire Department, where fellow members say he left a lasting mark.
Dick worked for many years as a dairy farmer before retiring as a truck driver for Cleason Cement in Palmyra.
Family meant everything to him. He coached youth baseball, stayed active in 4H, and rarely missed a chance to support the next generation. He also bowled for years at the Palmyra Bowling Center and loved to hunt.
Friends and neighbors knew him as someone who always stepped up to help. He also volunteered as the coffee maker at Kwik Fill, a role that fit his social spirit.
Stalker served as a lifetime member of the Walworth Fire Department. The department remembered him as “the definition of dedication — to his family, his community, and the Walworth Fire Department.”
Firefighters said he won the department’s “Agitator of the Year” award multiple times and earned the nickname “heckler” for his humor and camaraderie.
“It was an honor to serve the residents of Walworth alongside Dick,” the department shared. “Rest easy brother, we’ll take it from here.”
Dick was predeceased by his parents, Richard Sr. and Caroline Stalker; sisters Barbara and Millicent; brothers John and Charles; newborn daughter Anne Marie; and newborn great-grandson Callum Wardhaugh.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Barbara “Hilton” Stalker; children David (Colleen) Stalker and June (Glenn) Falkner; grandchildren Lisa Ensslin, Anna (Ryan) Vowles, Elise (Angus) Wardhaugh, Erich Ensslin, and David Stalker Jr.; three great-granddaughters; and sisters Jane Goldman and Dorothy (Floyd) Van Valkenburgh.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that people help a friend in his honor.
A celebration of Dick’s life will take place Sunday, March 1, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Walworth Fire Department, 2178 Church Street in Walworth.
Online condolences can be shared at www.murphyfuneralservices.com.
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