Gary D Walden

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, October 23, 2009 in Howe and Yockey Funeral Home, Shelbyville with Rev. Kevin Ray officiating. Visitation from 5:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday. Burial will be in Glenwood Cemetery, Shelbyville, IL with military rites by the Shelby County Honor Guard. Memorials may be given to the First Christian Church of Shelbyville or the Shelbyville Garden Club for the Memorial Sunken Garden Project at Forest Park.

Gary was born on October 2, 1944 in Shelbyville, IL, the son of Josiah Boyd and Lucille Faucett Walden. He graduated from Shelbyville High School in the Class of 1962. Gary was a Captain in the U.S. Army, serving from 1966-1970. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois in 1971 and his Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Northern Illinois University in 1976. He was an engineer for Illinois Bell in Joliet, IL. He later worked for AT&T in Northglenn, CO, Mountain Bell in Denver, CO and retired from AT&T in Bedminster, NJ. He was a member and deacon of the First Christian Church of Shelbyville, where he was Chairman of House and Grounds and Chairman of Trustees. Gary was a loving husband, father and grandfather who enjoyed spending time with his family. He also liked woodworking, gardening and farming with his brother-in-law, Jim Shaffer. He married Brenda Frazier on January 16, 1971 in Shelbyville, IL.

Surviving are his wife, Brenda; sons, Brian Walden of Shelbyville, IL and Brent Walden of Bennett, CO; mother, Lucille Walden of Shelbyville, IL; sisters, Sandy Shaffer and husband Jim of Shelbyville, IL and Donna Carlen and husband Randy of Toledo, IL; four grandchildren, Chelsey, Alisha, Breanna and Kyle Walden of Bennett, CO; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father.