Walker was attracted to the field of plant pathology after observing the results of a destructive cabbage disease near his home in Wisconsin. In 1910, Walker began his college career at the University of Wisconsin, and in 1918, earned his Ph.D. degree. Walker’s greatest research achievement was in breeding vegetable crops for disease resistance. He successfully incorporated disease resistance into beans, cabbage, cucumber, onions, and peas. Equally important, he made uniquely significant contributions to education, directing the thesis research of some 75 graduate students, and authored two major textbooks as well as more than 400 research articles. Walker was president of APS in 1943, was elected a fellow of the society in 1965, and received the APS Award of Distinction in 1969.
(Submitted for publication in July 2008.)
