One final farewell to a dedicated conservationist

She was a conservationist in her own right and was known for her passion for wildlife and the education of the youth. With the founding of the Lapalala Wilderness Reserve in the Waterberg in 1981, she became a director and managed the bush camp operations for more than 23 years. She was also a trustee of the Wilderness Trust which established the Lapalala Wilderness School in 1985. The school has seen more than 100,000 children, teachers, and university students visiting.

Walker’s life’s work was the rescue of the endangered rhino and she raised two white and two black orphaned rhino calves to adulthood. She also raised a hippo calf.

She published the book “A Rhino In My Garden: Love, life and the African bush” on her experiences.

The Walkers stayed on their farm Krokodilrivier between Vaalwater and Lapalala.

Walker was born at a small mission in Sekhukhuneland (Limpopo and Mpumalanga) after her missionary father was sent there from Germany. At the height of World War II, he and his family were repatriated to Germany. They returned to South Africa later.

“My mom trained as an educator and taught in Johannesburg. She later became a flight attendant and that laid the ground for her life of dedication and giving and remaining out of the spotlight while doing hard tasks in the background,” her son Anton said.

Walker leaves behind her husband Clive, children Renning and Anton, daughter-law René, grandchildren Ayden and Tristyn, and her younger sister Gretchen.