Obituary: Curtis L. Walker / Pioneer black administrator in Pittsburgh Public Schools
Oct. 15, 1932 - Oct. 8, 2006
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
By Ervin Dyer, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Before he gained his stride as a champion of educational achievement, Curtis L. Walker left his small home in Aliquippa each day as a boy, delivered papers and began his walk to school.
The road he traveled ultimately turned Dr. Walker into an administrator in the Aliquippa public schools. A few years ago, he retired from the Pittsburgh Public Schools, where he was one of the district's first black deputy superintendents.
An advocate for civil rights, minority business development, equal rights and higher education, Dr. Walker, 73, of Moon, died of a heart attack Sunday at Sewickley Valley Hospital.
He was a tireless warrior for children: the day before his death he was at a fraternity meeting in East Liberty discussing scholarships; a week before, he was in the Hill District delivering a contribution to the Boy Scouts.
He was born in Moultrie, Ga., before his parents, Willie Blanche Walker and Laura Reed, moved the family to Detroit.
At 7, he came to Aliquippa, where he was raised by his Aunt Mary and Uncle Ed Tyler, a mill worker.
As a young man in Aliquippa, he mopped floors and cleaned toilets at his Pentecostal church and chauffeured the church's pastor. He was a good student with perfect attendance who ran track, played football and dreamed of being a doctor.
Because the family could not afford a medical education, he exercised Plan B: become a teacher.
He enrolled in the University of Pittsburgh and graduated with his first degree in 1955. He'd later earn a master's in secondary English in 1963 and a doctorate in educational administration in 1972, both from Pitt.
He served two years in the Army in Panama and four years in the reserve as a unit supply officer.
After his military duty, he began his career in a Youth Forestry Camp as a counselor to juvenile delinquents. He earned less than mill workers but felt called to teaching, where he could make a difference in people's lives.
In 1958, he went into the classrooms of Aliquippa public schools, where he taught history, science, special education and other courses.
Almost a decade later, he worked his way up to assistant principal of Aliquippa Junior High School.
In seventh grade, he noticed Margie Byrd, a little girl with a twinkle in her eye. They later became high school sweethearts and married in 1956.
In 1954 she became the first black graduate of Slippery Rock University.
In August, the couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
They raised three daughters and Dr. Walker worked extra jobs to take them on family vacations during the summer.
At home, his wife was the hand of discipline, but Dr. Walker was the ear of compassion.
"He doted on us," said his youngest daughter, Cara Walker of Moon.
"When we got in trouble with Mom, Dad was the one who listened to all the problems and told us it would be OK." He lavished his daughters with books and lessons in black history and culture.
In 1970, Dr. Walker left Aliquippa schools and taught in the department of education at the University of Pittsburgh for five years.
In 1975, he was tapped to be deputy superintendent of Pittsburgh Public Schools, one of the highest-ranking posts in the district.
Active in his community, Dr. Walker was a 12-year president of his fraternity, Omega Psi Phi, steering the group's growth in the late 1970s and pushing it to purchase a permanent center for meetings.
He also was a "treasure" for the Boy Scouts of America Scoutreach, where he raised money and helped more than 3,000 urban youth become acquainted with scouting and learning.
He organized for the Pittsburgh chapter of the United Negro College Fund and was active with the Panhellenic Council and other social, educational and fraternal organizations.
In addition to his wife and daughter, he is survived by daughters Curtistine Walker and Anita Walker, both of Coraopolis.
Visitation will be tomorrow from 3 to 9 p.m. at Bidwell Presbyterian Church, 1025 Liverpool St., Manchester, where the funeral will be Friday at 11 a.m. Entombment will follow at Allegheny Cemetery.