Stanley Clay Walker was born July 2, 1923, in Norfolk, Virginia. He attended public schools in Norfolk and graduated from Fork Union Military Academy and the Norfolk Business College. When World War II began he enlisted in the United States Army and served in the European Theater, as part of an ordnance unit of the 82nd Airborne Division. Following his discharge from service, Walker returned to Norfolk and became a partner in a steel fabricating and engineering firm. He married Sybil Bruce Moore, and had two daughters: Susan Gray Walker Meslang, who is one of the founders of the CHANCE educational program for disabled adults at Old Dominion University and Elizabeth Tray Walker, who is currently an attorney and government relations lobbyist for based in Alexandria, Virginia. Mrs. Walker served on the Board of Visitors, Old Dominion University, from March 30, 1990 to June 30, 1994. Walker served as President of Stanley Walker Associates, Inc. Walker resided in Norfolk, until his death in 2001. Walker, a Democrat, began his career in public service as a member of the Norfolk City School Board in 1959. This was shortly after the public schools reopened following the "Massive Resistance" program, which tried to thwart desegregation. Throughout his political career, Walker was a strong advocate for education on all levels. For his support of Old Dominion University throughout the years, when the school was transitioning from a college to a university, the Board of Visitors at the college awarded Walker as a resolution of appreciation, on September 17, 1992. The technology building at the Norfolk Campus of Tidewater Community College is named after him. As one who wanted to reform the Democratic Party, he became active in a group known as "The Young Turks." Walker was elected to a seat in the House of Delegates in 1964 as a Representative of the consolidated 5th, 6th, and 7th districts of Norfolk. He took the oath of office on January 8, 1964, and served four terms there to 1971. In 1971, the Federal Court combined the senatorial districts into one multimember district and Walker took the oath of office as Senator on January 12, 1972. He served from that date until January 2000, representing parts of Norfolk and parts of Virginia Beach in the Sixth Senatorial District (Walker lost his bid for reelection in 1999). One aspect of Walker's distinguished career was his service on the Virginia State Crime Commission. He became its first chairman in 1966 and served in that position to 1979. He was also a strong advocate for the protection of children, in which he was chairman for the Commission on Early Childhood and Child Day Care Programs. Stanley C. Walker passed away on January 15, 2001.

Note written by Special Collections Staff