s was the first of several farms Earl owned and worked over the course of his life. He also farmed near Oskaloosa and Searsboro. In addition to farming, Earl worked at Superior-Ideal Manufacturing where he served as a foreman, and he was later employed by Pella Rolscreen, where he operated a molding machine.
Although he was always busy with his jobs and farming, Earl also enjoyed coaching his children's baseball team and practicing ball with his grandchildren. Earl always had a large garden and enjoyed teaching his children and grandchildren gardening along with canning and freezing that came with its produce. He loved fishing on the North Skunk River and in Canada with his brother. He was never one to shy away from hard work, and he turned a dream into reality when he cleared 20 acres of timber bordering the river by hand and built a fishing cabin for his family. Earl's family includes his wife of 58 years, Peggy of Oskaloosa; his children: Tammie Walker (David Hodges) of Oskaloosa, Steve Walker of Granbury, Texas, Doug (Melissa) Walker of Oskaloosa and Melinda (Douglas) Piper of Chariton, IA; eleven grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his siblings: Stephen (Janet) Walker of Oskaloosa, Gary (Virginia) Walker of Oskaloosa, Joyce Fox of New Sharon, Dorothy (Gary) Van Dyk of Denver, Colorado, Karen (Jack) Bowen of Oskaloosa and Mary Sue Sigler of Oskaloosa.In addition to his parents and his step-father, Charles Moore, he was preceded in death by sisters, Lugene DeJong and Marilyn Walker; a brother, David Walker; brothers-in-law, Everett Sigler and Junior Fox and a grandson, Jeordan Piper.