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Daniel Vernon Walker Obituary

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Daniel Vernon Walker

Evanston, IL

March 27, 1956 - November 18, 2021

Daniel Vernon Walker Obituary

Daniel "Dan" Vernon Walker died suddenly but peacefully in his Evanston home on November 18, 2021. Dan was born on March 27,1956 in Colorado Springs, Colorado to his parents Betty and Jack Walker. He was the first of four children, followed by Geoff (1958), Stanley (1961), and Valeri (1963). Dan moved with his family to Chicago in 1968 and attended Bryn Mawr Elementary and then South Shore High School, where he sat at “1st board” on the chess team.  

 

Dan, an avid painter, enrolled in the School of the Art Institute of Chicago where he studied for one year before dropping out to try his hand at a career in carpentry. He built porches for University of Chicago School of Divinity, and built waterbeds for UnderCurrents.  It was there that he met his first wife, Ellen Martin, and followed her to Court Theater at UC - starting with a volunteer position building sets for the stage.  By the time his stint at Court ended, Dan had risen to the position of Technical Director.

 

In 1983, Dan enrolled at Roosevelt University. There he learned computer programming, which would become his primary career and passion. On Groundhog day in 1987 Dan married Laura Reed at City Hall in Chicago and they purchased a home in Evanston. In 1989 Dan and Laura welcomed their daughter Katherine. Dan’s software engineering career continued to flourish. He worked at NORC, Whitewater Group, SPSS and TNS. In 2010 he joined  IBM where he would be Senior Managing Consultant and then Senior Software Engineer until early 2021. Dan’s passion for learning new things and practicing his craft led him to complete a BS in Computer Science and then earn an MS in Computer Science/Artificial intelligence from DePaul University.  After leaving IBM Dan focused on teaching introductory to graduate-level computer science at DePaul which he had begun in 2019. 

 

Throughout Dan’s life he expressed his artistic creativity by painting and sketching. He was proficient in multiple styles of visual art including abstract and sculpture. On holidays Dan gave hand-drawn cards to family and loved ones. Dan maintained close relationships with his family throughout his life and in his early 20’s created music with his brother Geoff. Their music was inspired by rock artists like Bruce Springsteen, John Prine, Bob Dylan, as well as classic funk. Dan’s other hobbies were cooking, cycling, and studying Mandarin. 

 

Dan was preceded in death by his brother Geoff.  He is survived by wife Laura Reed, daughter Katherine, his parents Jack and Betty, brother Stanley, sister Valeri Cooke (Michael) and their children and a multitude of loved ones and friends.

 

Dan was admired as a strong leader, a constant student, a talented artist, and a fiercely devoted father, husband, brother, son, and to many - friend and mentor. He will be greatly missed. 

 

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to:

 

Green Mountain Conservancy 

(https://greenmountainconservancy.org/donate/) 

 

Greater Chicago Food Depository

https://secure.chicagosfoodbank.org

 

Connections for the Homeless

www.connect2home.org

 

 

 Interment private. Arrangements entrusted to Evanston Funeral & Cremation, Roland F. Weis director. Info 847 866-8843, condolence and guestbook at evanstonfuneral.com

To share a memory or send a condolence gift, please visit the Official Obituary of Daniel Vernon Walker hosted by Evanston Funeral & Cremation.

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