Roy and Clara Walker were married for 63 years, spending 60 of those years in their Turtle Creek home where they raised four children. When Clara passed away, the family decided to honor her life through a scholarship fund that is helping students from the Duquesne area to attend the colleges of their choice.
The family hopes to grow the fund to offer two students from either West Mifflin or East Allegheny high schools four-year scholarships each year.
A scholarship fund was a meaningful choice for the Walker family. Roy's father had moved the family to Pittsburgh from Georgia in 1924 and worked in a mill earning $4 a day. The family couldn't afford to send both Roy and his sister, Lillian, to college, so they decided to send Lillian since they believed it was easier for a man to find work. Lillian went on to graduate from Ohio State University, becoming the first African American judge in the state of Ohio.
Roy worked hard and went on to become an entrepreneur. His first venture was the acquisition of an entertainment venue in McKeesport. African Americans weren't permitted to play in white establishments at the time. Soon Roy's club grew and became a destination for many great musicians, including Ray Charles. Roy and Clara lived above the club for a time with their young family: Roy Jr. and Gloria, from a previous marriage, and Ron and Maurice with Clara.
Roy recognized another business opportunity in the purchase of jukebox machines, eventually growing the business into one of the largest vending machine companies in the Pittsburgh area. He was also a life-long member of the NAACP.
Type of Fund
- Scholarship