On May 28th, 2024 at 3:10 p.m., Chad Walker, beloved husband, father and son, passed away peacefully from our world after a complication from surgery on May 23rd. He is survived by his wife, Katrina Walker, his daughter, Hannah Marie Walker (19) and son, Jacob Maverick Walker (11). Chad is also survived by his loving family: His father, Douglas Walker of Wenatchee WA, mother, Donna Walker of Waldport OR, brother, Lance Walker of Gladstone OR, and in-laws, Bill and Judy Kennedy. Also grieving are his much loved extended family, aunts and uncles, cousins and his many wonderful friends and co-workers.

Chad Richard Walker was born in Multnomah County OR, (Portland area) on March 21, 1973 to Doug and Donna Walker. Lance is his older brother by 3 years. Chad was always the class clown, saying funny things, hamming it up for the camera. In his younger years, his family moved a lot. They lived in Oregon, Washington and Oklahoma. He spent 7 years in Oklahoma in middle school and high school. He saw 2 tornados, played football, and totaled his first car by high centering it on a parking barrier. His family moved to Kent, WA for his senior year of high school. He graduated from Kent Meridian High School in 1991. He attended several different community colleges - but never quite attained his degree. He briefly lived in Olympia WA in 1992 - where he met his wife, Katrina Walker (then Kennedy). He moved to Oregon after that - which began several years of a long distance relationship... ultimately taking 8 years to decide to put a ring on that. During his time in Oregon he worked at Golden West Homes, where he met his life-long friend, Jason Marruffo. Chad was the best man at Jason's wedding....Jason was the best man at Chad's wedding.

Chad and Trina were married on July 29, 2000 at the Schmidt Mansion in Tumwater, WA. They had bought a fixer-upper house together in 1998. Chad was so mad that Trina bought that house, because he thought it was a real piece of junk...and had no garage. Trina did not realize how important a garage is to a man. So Trina proved him wrong in 2005 when they were able to double their money on that house and buy something much more "acceptable."

The couple was blessed with a beautiful daughter on May 4th, 2005, Hannah Marie Walker. Already being "old" parents, they were doubly blessed with a son, Jacob Maverick, on April 22, 2013. Now they were the "really old parents." Even though he was an older Dad, on an elementary school class field trip with Hannah, one of her classmates gave Chad a nickname that has stuck with him always. He is "Chad, the Rad Dad."

Back in about 1996, Chad finally decided to move back to Washington - as long as he could find a job. The only job he could get in the two weeks he gave himself to find one was at Tru-Truss in Lacey, WA, thereby starting his life-long career path. He worked his way from swinging a hammer in the shop, into the office, then into supervising others, all because of his personality and work ethic. In 2003-2004ish, Chad briefly left Tru-Truss and went to work doing asphalt grinding for PR Systems, where he met one of his best friends, Jeff Cooper. In 2005, with a baby on the way, Chad decided night work on the freeways of I-5 was not the best choice for him - so he went back to Tru-Truss and stayed until the plant closed in about 2019. He worked for Loews Truss for several years. In 2023 he decided to make a change and work for Builders First Source. After some time there, he was overwelmed and just really wanted to get back to truss-only selling.

Parr Truss offered him a job in March 2024, and he loved working there. He said that his bosses and co-workers were all great. The management and company values were exactly aligned with Chad's own. He told Trina that it was exactly the right job, right company for him. He felt valued and that this was the place he could work at until he retired and would be happy to go to work every day.

Chad was one of a kind - with quick wit and a big laugh. He could meet someone and become instant friends. He valued his relationships and was constantly setting up time to spend with is friends. He enjoyed a lot of sports. Lately, it was mostly golfing, mountain biking and taking our new dog, Angus, for walks. Chad had all the sports channels, and when we wasn't at work, or working on the house, he could be found in his bonus room (aka The Princess Tower) watching Baseball, Football, Hockey, Basketball, Golf, college ball - anything that involved a ball. We had 2 epic Super Bowl Parties in the bonus room. In 2014 when the Seahawks won the superbowl...and the next year when the win was stolen from them by the Patriots. Spring of 2023, for his 50th Birthday, he went to see the M's play at spring training in Peoria.

When he wasn't watching a game on the large projection screen, he was either watching natural disaster movies or romantic comedies. Don't ask me why. I'm pretty sure he watched Dante's Peak into the double digits... probably as often as he watched Love Actually.

Chad was a super handy-man. He could fix about anything. He would usually break something else, need to go to the store 3 times, swear a few times, watch a Youtube video - but in the end it would be fixed.

He also loved cars - like too much. In his dream world he would have had a seven car garage, so he could drive a different car every day of the week. He loved going to car shows and would take either his friends or the kids to new car shows, classic car shows - whatever show he could find. He also loved customizing his own cars - like too much. He just couldn't stop himself. He was always modifying, adding a gadget, changing out a stereo, adding a speaker, changing out a grill, putting in special headlights. I would just shake my head and ask him if he needed me to hold the screws that he always dropped and needed help finding. It was importantant that he kept the cars clean. And for some reason he took pictures of the cars after he washed them...every time.

I have probably left a hundred things left unsaid about Chad. He was a friendly, outgoing person. He took great care of his family and extended family. He was always willing to help when needed. He loved a good party. I think his friends invited Chad to their parties knowing it would be a fun party if he was there. He was a bright light in our world and will forever be remembered by his wife, daughter, son, father, mother, brother and everyone else that ever met him.

As an ultimate last gift to this world, the day Chad passed away - he also saved three other people's lives. Chad was an amazing gift to his family and friends and we will think about him every day and miss him so much.

**A celebration of Chad's life will be at Indian Summer Golf Course (5900 Troon Ln SE, Olympia WA 98501) on June 25th at 2 p.m.

Memorial Keepers (1)

Patricia Helen Peeples