Paul Lawrence Walker, 85, of rural Churubusco, died peacefully in the company of family at 7:04 a.m. April 15, 2025, at his home.

Born on August 8, 1939, in Noble Twp., Noble County, he was the son of the late Clyde W. and Laura Bell (Londt) Walker. Growing up on a farm near Wolf Lake, his family ran the B&K Root Beer stand in Wolf Lake and later the Walker's Restaurant.

After graduating from Wolf Lake High School in 1957, he went to work for Weatherhead in Columbia City.  On April 1, 1958, he entered the U.S. Army.  Training as an auto repairman at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, he spent much of his enlisted time at Fort Ord, California and Scofield Barracks, Hawaii and was there in 1959 when Hawaii received statehood.   He received an honorable discharge from the Army on March 27, 1961.

Returning to the area, he went to work for Fort Wayne Signs and was responsible for building and maintaining the Pure Oil neon signs in 10 counties. While on that job, he "stopped in" at National Cash Register Company on Fairfield in Ft Wayne to see if they were hiring. He took the Mechanical Aptitude Test that day and they hired him on the spot.  After training in Dayton, OH, he worked for the company in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne for 11 years.

On August 31, 1963, he married Meredith A. Clark.  They made their home in Indianapolis, then Dayton, OH, Fort Wayne, and finally Churubusco, where they raised their two children.

In 1974, he purchased M-M Sales in Merriam, selling and repairing lawn & garden and small outdoor power equipment.  He soon moved the business to Churubusco in April 1977, renaming it Walker's Sales & Service.  He operated the business until 1988, when C&A Tool offered to buy his building and give him a job as their Services Coordinator.  He retired in 2001.

Always interested in anything with an engine, he built street rods for himself and assisted others with theirs.  As a hobby business, he fabricated custom stainless-steel exhausts, earning a reputation among other street rod enthusiasts for his high quality and precision work.  He was a founding member of the Fort Wayne Street Rod Association and hosted the annual Muddy River Run. He was also quite proud to be member number 336 in the National Street Rod Association.  During his power equipment days, he liked to build and participate in garden tractor pulls and he was also a member of the Smith Twp. Volunteer Fire Department for many years.

He traveled throughout the lower 48 states and most of the Canadian provinces in a street rod with his wife.  The couple also visited Alaska and Hawaii.  He followed the NASCAR series at home and helped others with their groundhog problems, as he held a disabled hunting permit allowing him to hunt even when he wasn't as mobile.

Surviving is his wife of 61 years, Meredith; children, Von (Kimberly) Walker of Albion, Kelly (Luke) Gross of Churubusco and Paula King; seven grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren and sisters, Linda Brower of Warsaw and Lois Jean Cripe of Fort Wayne.

Additionally, he was preceded in death by a sister, Marilyn Mueller-Rowley.

The funeral service is at 2 p.m. Monday (Apr 21st) at Smith & Sons Funeral Home, Columbia City.  Burial is at the Thorn Cemetery at Ormas. Visitation is from noon until the service Monday at the funeral home.

Memorials in Paul's honor are to the Smith Twp. Volunteer Fire Department.