Leland J. Walker

Leland Jasper Walker, loving husband, father and grandfather, true friend to the world, died peacefully Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014, at the age of 91 in Missoula. He and his wife of 67 years, Margaret Noble Walker, moved to Missoula in 2013 after 56 happy years in Great Falls.

Lee was born April 18, 1923, in Fallon, Nevada, to Albert Willard Walker and Grayce Wilkinson Walker. The family moved to Colorado and then later to Fairfield in 1929. Except for his service during World War II and the Korean War, Lee lived the rest of his life in his beloved state of Montana.

Lee attended school in Choteau and Fairfield, graduating in 1940 as valedictorian of the first senior class of the new Fairfield High School. Following in his father's footsteps, Lee pursued a career in civil engineering, studying at Montana State College in Bozeman. His studies, and his election as student body president, were disrupted by World War II. He enlisted in the Navy's V12 College Training Program and completed an accelerated engineering degree at Iowa State College in Ames. After basic and officer's training, Ensign (later Lt.) Lee served with the Navy's famous Seabees in the Pacific theater of the war. He was recalled to active duty during the Korean conflict, and served at the Civil Engineering Research and Evaluation Laboratory in Port Hueneme, California, retiring from active duty as a lieutenant commander.

Lee's career in civil engineering began with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and progressed to leadership of the company he co-founded, Northern Testing Laboratories (later Northern Engineering and Testing), a geotechnical consulting firm that had offices in Montana, Idaho, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. The company provided jobs and careers for hundreds of engineers and technicians. Lee was a consummate professional engineer, and earned many honors for contributions to his profession, including membership in the National Academy of Engineering, Chi Epsilon and the Montana Professional Engineers Hall of Fame. Montana State University awarded Lee an honorary doctorate for his contributions to his profession and the school. He actively participated in many civil engineering organizations, assuming top leadership roles in the American Society of Civil Engineers (president 1976), the Accrediting Board of Engineering and Technology (president), and the American Council of Independent Laboratories among others. Education and mentorship of fellow engineers, business people and community leaders were his passion and his highest professional values.

Lee loved his state and his home town of Great Falls, and gave generously of his time, energy, skills and finances to enrich them. Among the organizations he was passionate about serving were the Deaconess Hospital, the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind, the Great Falls Public Library, Peace Hospice of Great Falls and McLaughlin Research Center. He was a founder of Leadership Great Falls, helping to lead the first cohort of trainees.

Lee was a man who believed that he was obligated to give, and he gave of his energy, his time, his finances and his love to make his community and his world a better place for all. He is remembered by many people of varied interests and backgrounds as a teacher of ethics, management, leadership and common sense.

Above all, Lee loved his family. He married his college sweetheart, Margaret Frances Noble, on Jan. 21, 1946, soon after he returned from the war. They had three children, Tom (Judy) of Phoenix, Peggy (Patrick Marx) of Missoula and Tim (Sheila) of West Linn, Oregon. He adored his three grandchildren, Patrick Marx Jr., and Lucy and Liam Walker.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers or gifts, memorials be made to Peace Hospice, the McLaughlin Research Center or the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind. A service was Monday, Jan. 5, at 3 p.m. at 3600 American Way, Missoula.
Read Leland Walker's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.