WORCESTER-Bertram B. Walker, 80 of 119 Providence Street, died Sunday, May 19th in Providence Extended Care after a long illness. His wife of 21 years, Patricia (Goldsberry) Walker died in 1972. He leaves a son, Braithe A. Walker of Worcester; a brother, Christopher A. Walker of London, England; a sister, Olivia Walker of Worcester and several nephews and nieces.
Mr. Walker was born in Hopewell, Jamaica the son of James and Lucrita (Marnoc) Walker. He attended Fiske University in Nashville, TN and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Clark University. He then received his master degree in urban studies from Cambridge College. Mr. Walker was the Director of the City of Worcester Equal Opportunity Office for 13 years, retiring in 1991 and was previously the assistant director of the Boston Model Cities Program. He was a prominent civil rights activist in the City of Worcester in the 1960’s becoming the director of the Prospect House. Mr. Walker was also instrumental in the development of Plumbley Village through Urban Renewal’s Laurel and Clayton Streets Project. Prior to his activist work in the city, Mr. Walker was a biochemist at the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology and was a research assistant to the team that developed the birth control pill. He was a member of the Wesley United Methodist Church, NAACP and served as a past president of the Kiwanis Club. Mr. Walker also served as an interim Lay Minister of St. Andrew’s Methodist Church on Chandler Street.
The funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM Friday, May 24th in Wesley United Methodist Church, 114 Main Street, Worcester. Burial will be in Rural Cemetery. O’Connor Brothers Funeral Home, 592 Park Avenue is directing arrangements. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Parkinson Disease Association, 720 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02118.