Walker, Lucille Settle
Alma Lucille Settle Walker (1924-2013) served Lee College as a teacher, head librarian, the director of Student Activities, and the director of Title IV federal grants.
Born in Ward, West Virginia, on October 10, 1924, Walker joined the Church of God as a child after a spiritual conversion in 1933. At a young age she sensed a call to full-time ministry and began preaching when in high school. Following her graduation from high school, she conducted her first two-week revival at Slaughter’s Creek Baptist Church in West Virginia, and she received her ministerial license with the Church of God at age 19.
Walker enrolled at the Bible Training School and College in 1942 after her brother gave her the $100 needed to enroll. She graduated with an Associate of Arts from the junior college division in 1945.
She was an engaged student with evident leadership ability in her involvement with a variety of activities and organizations. Walker worked in the President's office and served as a tutor for students in the school’s Academy (high school). She also served as the religious editor for the school yearbook, the Vindagua; was treasurer and then vice president of the Ministerial Association; sang in a girls’ quartet and was a member of the band; was a member of the Missionary Society, serving as secretary, and of the Spanish Glee Club; a member of the Student Council; was secretary of the General Council of the senior class of 1945; was selected “Best All Around” female student in 1945; and was valedictorian of her graduating class. Her involvement in numerous campus activities and clubs, as a participant and in leadership, is an example of how she continued to live and engage with society and the Church.
Walker also maintained an active preaching schedule while a student. During the holidays and summer breaks she and classmate Helen Gleason evangelized at locations in North Dakota, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Mexico, conducting services in the evening, Vacation Bible School for children during the day, and street meetings on Saturdays.
After graduating from BTS and College with the Associate of Arts degree, Walker continued her education as Scarritt College in Nashville, Tennessee, earning the Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work and Christian Education in 1947.
It was at Bible Training School and College that she first met J. Herbert Walker Jr. (1928-1988), a classmate whose father also served the school as president during their final year before graduation. They shared similar interests and served together on the yearbook staff and in other leadership activities. Each sensed a call to missions and education. They also continued their studies in Nashville at the same time, Lucille at Scarritt College and Herbert at Vanderbilt University. Their relationship blossomed as they rode the bus together to attend services at the Meridian Street Church of God, and they married in 1947. Two weeks later they embarked on their first missionary journey together, teaching and supervising the ministry of the Church of God in Haiti from 1947 to 1953. While in Haiti, their two daughters, Sharon and Crystal, were born.
In 1953, Herbert Walker was appointed to serve the Church of God as assistant superintendent of Latin America. The Walkers returned to the United States, first relocating to San Antonio, Texas, where Lucille Walker taught in the public school system. During this time the Walkers also continued their educational studies in Nashville, Tennessee, attending the George Peabody College for Teachers, where Lucille Walker earned the Master of Arts in Teaching in 1955, while teaching in the local public school system. Herbert Walker also earned the Master of Arts in Teaching there.
In 1957 the Walkers were hired to teach at Lee College and returned to their alma mater. The college was in the process of trying to receive accreditation for its Junior College from the Southern Association (SACS) and Herbert Walker was hired to serve a key role in this endeavor. He served as dean of the Junior College while teaching social studies, Old Testament, and education courses. The Junior College received SACS accreditation in 1960. Lucille Walker served as head librarian from 1957 to 1959 and taught social studies, speech, English, and education courses.
Herbert Walker remained at Lee College until 1970 as an integral part of the academic development for establishing a four-year degree program for accreditation by SACS. He also continued his own education, earning the Doctor of Philosophy from The University of Tennessee, and served Lee as dean of the Junior College (1957-68) until the academic structure was revised to better meet accreditation requirements. He then served as chair of the Division of Teacher Education (1968-70). Lee College received accreditation with SACS in December 1969 for its four-year degree program.
Beginning in 1962, Lucille Walker left Lee to work for the next five years at the Church of God Publishing House as editor of youth Sunday School literature and to edit a regular page in the Church of God Evangel printed monthly. From 1967-69 she organized the "War on Poverty" Bradley/Cleveland Community Action and served as its director. That organization was awarded the Outstanding Community Action Agency in the Southeast USA. She and her husband also assisted with an inner-city coffee house ministry in New York City through their friendship with David Wilkerson.
Lucille Walker assisted her husband, Herbert, in his ministerial appointments: first as superintendent of the Church of God in Europe and the Middle East (1970-76) and then with the Church of God World Missions as coordinator of education (1976-80), assistant director (1980-84), and director (1984-88). Herbert Walker died in 1988, only four months after his appointment as president of the Church of God School of Theology (now the Pentecostal Theological Seminary).
Lucille always maintained her own ministerial work as well. She was a youth counselor with the C.U.R.E. Corps in New York City, mentor for youth at Church of God youth camps, and assisted with the local 24-hour telephone crisis intervention ministry. She traveled extensively throughout the world as part of fulfilling her ministerial calling, including evangelism work with a discipleship program of Youth with a Mission. She also was trained as a Certified Nurse Assistant and facilitated groups for grief support in Cleveland, Tennessee. She was a member of several boards and commissions, including for the Church of God Home for Children, the Curriculum Commission of the National Association of Evangelicals, and the Family Life Commission.
She returned to Lee College in 1978 as the director of Student Activities for two years and then served as director of the Title IV federal grant program focusing on academic support for at-risk students from 1980-87.
From 1989 to 2013, Lucille Walker was an active member of the World Missions Personnel Committee. She also continued her ministry of writing, specifically authoring articles and books about prayer, including What to Do When You Pray and Lord, Teach Us to Pray. She was an active member of the Church of God Prayer Commission from 1986 until her death in 2013. Her influence of encouraging prayer in the Church of God was recognized by the denomination in 2004 when she received the "Anna Award" for her contribution in prayer efforts.
Other accolades include being named “Lady Minister of the Year" for 1998 by the Church of God Evangelism and Home Missions Department in recognition of her more than half-century commitment to global ministry. She also received the "Distinguished Alumni Award” from Lee University in 1985. The J. Herbert and Lucille Walker Scholarship Fund at Lee University and the Lucille Settle Walker Scholarship Fund at the Pentecostal Theological Seminary were established to honor their influential ministries.
Lucille Walker died on December 8, 2013, and is buried at Hilcrest Memorial Gardens in Cleveland, Tennessee. In the 1945, seniors at the Bible Training School and College chose a quote that best captured their future goal. Lucille chose: “That I may see each man with his own eyes, and give acceptance to the ones who come my way.” Her lifetime commitment of service and ministry achieved her goal.
/ L.F. Morgan
Born in Ward, West Virginia, on October 10, 1924, Walker joined the Church of God as a child after a spiritual conversion in 1933. At a young age she sensed a call to full-time ministry and began preaching when in high school. Following her graduation from high school, she conducted her first two-week revival at Slaughter’s Creek Baptist Church in West Virginia, and she received her ministerial license with the Church of God at age 19.
Walker enrolled at the Bible Training School and College in 1942 after her brother gave her the $100 needed to enroll. She graduated with an Associate of Arts from the junior college division in 1945.
She was an engaged student with evident leadership ability in her involvement with a variety of activities and organizations. Walker worked in the President's office and served as a tutor for students in the school’s Academy (high school). She also served as the religious editor for the school yearbook, the Vindagua; was treasurer and then vice president of the Ministerial Association; sang in a girls’ quartet and was a member of the band; was a member of the Missionary Society, serving as secretary, and of the Spanish Glee Club; a member of the Student Council; was secretary of the General Council of the senior class of 1945; was selected “Best All Around” female student in 1945; and was valedictorian of her graduating class. Her involvement in numerous campus activities and clubs, as a participant and in leadership, is an example of how she continued to live and engage with society and the Church.
Walker also maintained an active preaching schedule while a student. During the holidays and summer breaks she and classmate Helen Gleason evangelized at locations in North Dakota, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Mexico, conducting services in the evening, Vacation Bible School for children during the day, and street meetings on Saturdays.
After graduating from BTS and College with the Associate of Arts degree, Walker continued her education as Scarritt College in Nashville, Tennessee, earning the Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work and Christian Education in 1947.
It was at Bible Training School and College that she first met J. Herbert Walker Jr. (1928-1988), a classmate whose father also served the school as president during their final year before graduation. They shared similar interests and served together on the yearbook staff and in other leadership activities. Each sensed a call to missions and education. They also continued their studies in Nashville at the same time, Lucille at Scarritt College and Herbert at Vanderbilt University. Their relationship blossomed as they rode the bus together to attend services at the Meridian Street Church of God, and they married in 1947. Two weeks later they embarked on their first missionary journey together, teaching and supervising the ministry of the Church of God in Haiti from 1947 to 1953. While in Haiti, their two daughters, Sharon and Crystal, were born.
In 1953, Herbert Walker was appointed to serve the Church of God as assistant superintendent of Latin America. The Walkers returned to the United States, first relocating to San Antonio, Texas, where Lucille Walker taught in the public school system. During this time the Walkers also continued their educational studies in Nashville, Tennessee, attending the George Peabody College for Teachers, where Lucille Walker earned the Master of Arts in Teaching in 1955, while teaching in the local public school system. Herbert Walker also earned the Master of Arts in Teaching there.
In 1957 the Walkers were hired to teach at Lee College and returned to their alma mater. The college was in the process of trying to receive accreditation for its Junior College from the Southern Association (SACS) and Herbert Walker was hired to serve a key role in this endeavor. He served as dean of the Junior College while teaching social studies, Old Testament, and education courses. The Junior College received SACS accreditation in 1960. Lucille Walker served as head librarian from 1957 to 1959 and taught social studies, speech, English, and education courses.
Herbert Walker remained at Lee College until 1970 as an integral part of the academic development for establishing a four-year degree program for accreditation by SACS. He also continued his own education, earning the Doctor of Philosophy from The University of Tennessee, and served Lee as dean of the Junior College (1957-68) until the academic structure was revised to better meet accreditation requirements. He then served as chair of the Division of Teacher Education (1968-70). Lee College received accreditation with SACS in December 1969 for its four-year degree program.
Beginning in 1962, Lucille Walker left Lee to work for the next five years at the Church of God Publishing House as editor of youth Sunday School literature and to edit a regular page in the Church of God Evangel printed monthly. From 1967-69 she organized the "War on Poverty" Bradley/Cleveland Community Action and served as its director. That organization was awarded the Outstanding Community Action Agency in the Southeast USA. She and her husband also assisted with an inner-city coffee house ministry in New York City through their friendship with David Wilkerson.
Lucille Walker assisted her husband, Herbert, in his ministerial appointments: first as superintendent of the Church of God in Europe and the Middle East (1970-76) and then with the Church of God World Missions as coordinator of education (1976-80), assistant director (1980-84), and director (1984-88). Herbert Walker died in 1988, only four months after his appointment as president of the Church of God School of Theology (now the Pentecostal Theological Seminary).
Lucille always maintained her own ministerial work as well. She was a youth counselor with the C.U.R.E. Corps in New York City, mentor for youth at Church of God youth camps, and assisted with the local 24-hour telephone crisis intervention ministry. She traveled extensively throughout the world as part of fulfilling her ministerial calling, including evangelism work with a discipleship program of Youth with a Mission. She also was trained as a Certified Nurse Assistant and facilitated groups for grief support in Cleveland, Tennessee. She was a member of several boards and commissions, including for the Church of God Home for Children, the Curriculum Commission of the National Association of Evangelicals, and the Family Life Commission.
She returned to Lee College in 1978 as the director of Student Activities for two years and then served as director of the Title IV federal grant program focusing on academic support for at-risk students from 1980-87.
From 1989 to 2013, Lucille Walker was an active member of the World Missions Personnel Committee. She also continued her ministry of writing, specifically authoring articles and books about prayer, including What to Do When You Pray and Lord, Teach Us to Pray. She was an active member of the Church of God Prayer Commission from 1986 until her death in 2013. Her influence of encouraging prayer in the Church of God was recognized by the denomination in 2004 when she received the "Anna Award" for her contribution in prayer efforts.
Other accolades include being named “Lady Minister of the Year" for 1998 by the Church of God Evangelism and Home Missions Department in recognition of her more than half-century commitment to global ministry. She also received the "Distinguished Alumni Award” from Lee University in 1985. The J. Herbert and Lucille Walker Scholarship Fund at Lee University and the Lucille Settle Walker Scholarship Fund at the Pentecostal Theological Seminary were established to honor their influential ministries.
Lucille Walker died on December 8, 2013, and is buried at Hilcrest Memorial Gardens in Cleveland, Tennessee. In the 1945, seniors at the Bible Training School and College chose a quote that best captured their future goal. Lucille chose: “That I may see each man with his own eyes, and give acceptance to the ones who come my way.” Her lifetime commitment of service and ministry achieved her goal.
/ L.F. Morgan
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