Jacqueline Rieben Walker
Jacqueline (Jackie) Rieben Walker, 85, passed peacefully into eternal sleep at her home in Lockhart, Texas, on March 30, 2021. A resident of Lockhart for more than fifty years, Jackie was born to Gladys Jones and John Rieben on January 26, 1936, in Bridgeton, New Jersey.
The family moved to Merrifield, Virginia when Jackie was nine years old.
In high school, Jackie’s beauty, poise and passion for horses captured the eye of the love of her life, Harold (Jiggs) Walker. Jackie and Jiggs married in Rockville, Maryland, on September 11, 1951. Jackie gave birth to two sons, John and Mark, in Takoma Park, Maryland. After she and Jiggs moved to west Texas – Littlefield in 1955, and then Balmorhea in 1956 – Jackie and Jiggs welcomed another son, Matthew, and, a daughter, Liz Beth.
While profoundly different from where she had come, Jackie soon developed a love for the arid, open plains of west Texas, aided in no small part by her fondness for Zane Gray books. Jackie also quickly became an active and popular member of the Balmorhea community. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, a city librarian and a study hall teacher. She became known for her quick, easy smile, her kindness and her friendly personality. Jackie was loved by all.
In 1969, after Jiggs’ job took the family to Lockhart, Jackie worked as a licensed nurse, lovingly serving the residents at a local nursing home. Caring for others in need became her passion. Upon her retirement from formal nursing, Jackie continued to provide care to countless friends, her own aging mother and many others who were in need. In Lockhart, Jackie was an active member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in San Marcos and built loving relationships with many of her church friends. Jackie had a loving heart. She accepted everyone as they were. She truly loved people of all cultures and races.
Jackie studied the piano and had a beautiful singing voice. She played and sang at many weddings and funerals. She enjoyed gardening (loved the Texas wildflowers!) and reading anything she could get her hands on, especially history. She had a deep love for animals of all kinds, especially cats, dogs and birds. Up until only a few months ago, she fed stray cats who made their home on her property. Jackie’s passion for horses never diminished, and she continued to care for the remaining family horses, a bloodline that Jiggs spent his lifetime developing.
Jackie was preceded in death by her husband Jiggs Walker, son Matthew Quinn Walker, sister Elizabeth Rieben Wheatley, brother-in-law Jimmy Wheatley, and her parents. She is survived by her children John Eugene Walker (Lockhart), Mark Lee (Adrian) Walker (Lockhart), Liz Beth (Nesha Morse) Walker (Ribera, New Mexico), daughter-in-law Amy (Matthew) Walker, (Lockhart), grandchildren John E. Walker Jr. (Aimee), Whitney (Arron Wilford), Matthew Walker Jr. (Vanessa), Josh Walker, Jim Walker (Bethany), Elizabeth Walker Elias (Nad), several nieces and nephews and numerous great grandchildren.
On Wednesday, April 7, Jackie was laid to rest in Littlefield Cemetery beside Jiggs.
A Celebration of Life is being planned for April 17th at the San Marcos Seventh Day Adventist Church, 1523 Ranch Rd 12, San Marcos, TX at 3:00 P.M.
Those who wish to remember Jackie may send donations to:
Lockhart Animal Shelter, 547 Old McMahan Trail, Lockhart, Texas 78644
Or Paws In Prison, 1400 E Martin Luther King Jr. Industrial Blvd. Lockhart, Texas 78644
