Roscoe and Erma Walker
Roscoe and Erma Walker were lifelong residents of Washington County. Roscoe was born in 1919 in the South Boston area and Erma, living on Tucker Street in Salem, in 1924. When Roscoe returned in 1944 after serving 39 months overseas in the military, they married and moved to his new duty station in Miami, Florida. One year later, he was discharged and the moved to Salem to being a career of farming.
They started farming east of Salem on Old State Road 160 East with a dairy herd, hogs, chickens, and crops. Erma was a city girl, but quickly adapted to life on the farm, helping out with the farming, raising the chickens, tending a garden, and the many other duties required of a farmer’s wife. She also became involved in the local Homemaker’s Club in the early years of their marriage.
After high school, Erma took a job at the Salem Building Loan Fund. She worked for James Berkey as his only employee, where she did and learned basically everything. She worked there until she and Roscoe wed. She left to become a wife and mother, but after her children were older, she was asked to return to work there, where she remained for 33 years. She loved her work there, meeting people, and helping them in any way she could. During her time there, Roscoe started serving as an appraiser for their loans and was later asked to serve on the Board of Directors of what had become the Salem Savings and Loan. He loved his very part-time job there, helping secure loans for the people living in the surround area. In 1987, Erma retired as Vice President from what is now Mid-Southern Bancorp, Inc.
Roscoe spent his entire career as a dairy and crop farmer and loved all of it.
Roscoe and Erma had three children, Linda Hepler (Bill), residing in Kennesaw, Georgia; Teresa Crockett (Terry), residing in Carmel, Indiana; and David (Susan Rodman), who reside in Salem. David has continued operating the family farm.
The Walkers loved participating with young people and helping out as leaders and mentors in many organizations, including the First Christian Church in Salem where the entire family were members. They served as respected and loving leaders, teachers, and helpers in the church; always serving and making the time to do whatever was needed to help others, loving God and their community. If the church doors were open, they were there.
Along with church activities, all three children, along with Roscoe and Erma, participated in school and community events including sports, the county fair, 4-H, farming events, Masonic events, and many other activities. Roscoe joined the Masonic Lodge and was an active member all his life. As the children grew older, he and Erma became involved in Job’s Daughters, and DeMolay, as their children joined and became active in these organizations. The Walkers were active leaders in the State Job’s Daughter organization and traveled extensively throughout the state of Indiana over several years. They supported many local girls during this time.
The Walkers can be described as being immersed in Washington County. Roscoe was active in Farm Bureau and he and Erma were longtime members of The Salem Farmers Club, with other farming couples. Roscoe enjoyed working with other Washington County farmers regarding innovations and striving for new ideas in farming. In fact, in the early years, Roscoe and his brother, Randall partnered together in their farming operation so they could own the best equipment available. Roscoe received awards in excellence in farming, including a presentation from Lee Hamilton, after putting in a new milking system. He also received the Farmer of the Year award from the Washington County Soil and Water Conservation Department. The entire Walker family loved the county fair and Roscoe was active on the Fair Board for many years.
In the 1960’s, Roscoe and Erma, along with Randall and Wanda Walker, and the Baird Family (all of Salem), formed the Walker-Baird Corporation and built Southway Villa Mobile Home Park and Southway Estates, a community still present today.
Roscoe and Erma celebrated 61 years of marriage before Roscoe’s death in 2005. Erma followed Roscoe in 2023. They always said they “loved living and working in Washington County – the people, the activities, and it’s a wonderful place to raise a family.” This attitude was instilled in all of their children and grandchildren, who all have wonderful memories of Salem and Washington County. It’s because of this, their family established a fund to support youth camp programs, primarily at Wonder Valley Christian Church Camp, in our county.
