Sallie Elizabeth Walker passed away on Sunday, May 8, 2016, surrounded by her family.  Her death was the result of a brief, but severe illness.

Sallie was born on October 29, 1928 in Bardwell, Texas, to Evelyn and Thomas Sills.  She was raised at Washita Farms in Tishomingo.  Her family later moved to Chapman Ranch in south Texas.  Sallie graduated from Corpus Christi High School in 1946 where she excelled in track, softball and basketball.

Sallie married Tom Walker on April 9, 1948 in Sherman, Texas.  They spent the beginning of their married life at Murray Junior College in Tishomingo where Sallie was voted homecoming queen two years in a row and she was the cheer squad captain.  She graduated from Murray in 1948, and they moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico, where Tom played football for New Mexico A&M.  They moved to Lawton in 1949.

Prior to becoming an educator, Sallie worked for two doctors and a jeweler, and she also managed Thunderbird Lanes and Holiday Bowl.  During this time she wrote the bowling column for the Lawton Constitution for several years called "Sallie Says."

Determined to fulfill her dream of becoming a teacher, Sallie enrolled in Cameron College in 1968.  An active mother of four boys, and a busy wife, she graduated from Cameron in 1970 and became Lawton Public School's first female coach.  Sallie coached the MacArthur High School girls' track and field team for twenty years, the girls' softball team for eight years, and the girls' basketball team for two years and girls' volleyball.  She sponsored the MacArthur High School cheerleaders for twenty-one years, and she started the MacArthur Highlanderettes and was their sponsor for seventeen years.  She taught history, science, and physical education at MacArthur High School and was the coach for the academic team for seven years.  During her teaching/coaching career, Sallie received the Lawton Public Schools Distinguished Achievement Award for Senior High in 1987 and the Oklahoma Coaches Association Women's Athletic Coach of the Year for 1984-85.  Known as a practical joker, Sallie loved to initiate her fellow coaches and teachers into the lighter side of life.  Whether dressing up as a character, "decorating" someone's classroom or office, or performing the skit, "Teachers at the Movies," Sallie was a favorite of the MacArthur High School staff and student body.  She retired from teaching in 1991.

Tom and Sallie had four sons, Tom Jr., Jay, Frank, and Doak.  They loved to go camping and spent many wonderful weekends and summers at Oklahoma lakes, as well as traveling across the country with friends and family.  Her favorite activity was playing games with family and friends.  She was VERY competitive and was known to play throughout the night until she won.  She was an active parent, grandparent, and cheerleader on the sidelines of every little league, junior high, high school, and college sporting, academic, and extracurricular team that her sons and grandchildren participated on.  She cheered and volunteered for Whittier Elementary, Cache Elementary, Central Junior High, Eisenhower Junior High, Cache Middle School, MacArthur High School, Lawton High School, Eisenhower High School, Cache High School, and Cameron University.  She was also a big fan of all OU athletic teams.

Throughout her life, Sallie was dedicated to helping her community.  She was a member of Women's International Bowling Congress; Comanche County Retired Teachers Association. She served on the board of directors for the Center of Creative Living, served as Speaker of the House for the Silver Haired Legislature for two years, along with being the Silver Haired Legislative Representative for District 93 for four years.  She was the secretary/treasurer for the Fields and Dunning Neighborhood Association, a member of the American Red Cross Disaster Team, served on the Lawton Commission on Aging, the State Alliance on Aging, and was a Senior Advocate.  Each year Sallie attended the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life as a cancer survivor.  Sallie was awarded the Association of South Central Government's Outstanding Older Oklahoma Women of 1997 and the State of Oklahoma Department of Human Services Outstanding Volunteer Award Service Award.

Sallie is survived by her four sons: Tom Jr., Edmond; Jay and wife Ana, and Frank and wife Brenda, all of Lawton; and Doak Walker and Cheryl Walker, of Cache.  Grandchildren: Luke Walker and husband Joey Diebold, Seattle, Washington; Forrest Walker, Oklahoma City; Jill Walker-Abdoveis and husband Jahan Abdoveis, Tulsa; Brandon Walker and fiancé Kayla Short, Tulsa; Molly Walker Alonzo and husband Casey Alonzo, Geronimo; Kaylie and Jack Walker, Cache; Ryder Walker, Edmond.  Great grandchildren: Luke and Liam Abdoveis, Tulsa, and Zoey Alonzo, Geronimo.  Her brothers: Gilliam Sills and his wife Sandra, Searcy, Arkansas; Bill Sills and his wife Peggy, Edmond; sister-in-law Doris Sills, Florence, South Carolina; brother-in-law Don Salmon, Lawton; and brother-in-law Buddy Brown, Euless, Texas.  Other surviving family and close friends: Toni Walker, Nita Morris, Betty Barnett, Virgie Johnson, and Ruth Becker, along with many nieces, nephews, and other family and friends who loved Sallie and were loved by her in return.

Preceding Sallie in death was her husband Tom of 62 years, her parents, a brother, T.W. Sills, and a sister, Dorothy "Cookie" Salmon.

A memorial service celebrating Sallie's life will be held on Wednesday, May 11, 2016, 10:30 AM, at First Baptist Church, 501 SW B Ave, Lawton.