A much-loved son, brother and friend to many, Rob Walker, died last month at the age of just 38.
Rob – a builder and stonemason – lived in Greystoke all his life. He was a keen sportsman, playing football for the village team with brothers Danny and Matty, golf and darts, and he was a huge Tottenham Hotspur fan.
A former pupil of Greystoke Primary School and Penrith’s Ullswater Community College, he played football for both and was also a good runner, but according to one teacher “not aggressive enough”!
On leaving school, he took an apprenticeship with building firm Graham’s, of Plumpton, run by Derek and William Graham. He learned most of his skills from Derek and was devastated when he died while he was working there.
He and James Mossop, who had also worked at Graham’s, set up in business together as general builders, and Rob developed his speciality as a stonemason, also attending a block release course at Carlisle College. Latterly, he had been working with good friend Robert Alcock.
Rob was the son of Janice and the late Eddie Walker, who died last year. Eddie was a former player and manager at Greystoke Football Club and Rob played for them until last year when ill health meant he had to give up. He also sponsored the team with a new strip. After his death, the club’s Facebook page was filled with hundreds of messages of condolence and anecdotes. A typical message said “Rob was the nicest person I ever met.”
He and friends Stephen Walton and Jamie Dobinson were season ticket holders at Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, and at his funeral – at St Andrew’s Church, Greystoke – the bearers wore club shirts, as did some of those attending. Football friends and members of the Greystoke team formed a guard of honour in and out of the church, where there were hundreds of mourners, many having to stand.
A talented golfer, Rob enjoyed watching and playing the game. At one time he was a member of the Keswick club, but more recently played at different local courses, including Appleby and Stoneyholme in Carlisle.
Greystoke Football Club holds an annual golf day for the Eddie Walker Memorial Trophy, which Rob was able to play in last year.
The youngest of three brothers, he was very close to Danny and Matty and adored his niece and nephews, Kiera-Lilly, Oliver Jacob. They were a very close family and Rob had lived with mum Janice since Christmas. “He was very determined and never complained,” she said.
Donations at the funeral were for Hospice at Home Carlisle and North Lakeland, although Rob did not use their services, as he died after a short illness at Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary. Richardson’s funeral directors had charge of arrangements.
