Lois Jean Walton

Lois was born Lois Jean Smith in 1935 in Joliet, Illinois to Leon and Rosetta Smith. She was the second oldest of five children her mother had.  As a young lady she attended Joliet Township High School, where she met the man that would become her husband, David F. Walton.  In 1953 Lois graduated from high school and two years later, in June of 1955 she and David were married.

In 1956 they welcomed their first child, daughter Davette. After the birth of their daughter, David began serving in the Navy, and sent to the island of Guam. Lois and their daughter joined him, and the family stayed there until they returned home to Joliet a year later. In 1959 Lois and David welcomed their second child, son Glenn, into the family. In 1963, they had their last child, David Todd, completing their family. While raising their three children, Lois also worked parttime at the local elementary school that her children attended.

In 1969, the family moved to California when her husband took a job working in the California health care system. It was here in Sacramento that Lois and David would make a home and raise their family.  She volunteered at her kids’ schools, was a member of the PTA, and a Cub Scout Den Mother.

Lois began working in the business office of Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Sacramento in the early 70’s. Her husband David also worked at Kaiser in the laboratory.

Lois and David always made God and there church a central foundation of their love, life and family. They were both members of Second Baptist Church in Joliet, Ill, and when the family moved to Sacramento, Lois and the family became members of New Hope Baptist Church.  For many years she served as a Sunday School teacher and as a Deaconess at New Hope, in addition to playing the piano for the Sunday School service and singing in the church choir.  Later in life, Lois and David joined the church family of Antioch Baptist Church in south Sacramento, where she once again served as a Deaconess and hosted church tribe meetings in her home. She remained a dedicated and faithful member of Antioch until her passing.

One thing Lois was proud of was that she was able to go back to school to get a college degree. She attended night classes at Sacramento City College, with her daughter, where she eventually obtained her Associate Arts Degree in Social Science in 1981.  She accomplished this while continuing to work full time. Lois eventually retired from Kaiser in 1996.

Sunday dinners after church were always required in the Walton household. Even after her kids were grown, Lois would still make sure she cooked a big Sunday dinner for everyone. And her kids still would make their way to “Mom’s” house for family dinner.

Lois was a loving and strong woman and the rock of Walton family. Those who knew her well witnessed this firsthand over the past few years as she became the primary caretaker for her husband of nearly 68 years, through his battle which Alzheimer, and the unexpected loss of their eldest son last year. David’s battle ended in March of 2023.  All three are now reunited and celebrating with our heavenly father.

Lois was preceded in death by her husband, David Frederick Walton, and their eldest son Glenn Frederick Walton. Lois leaves behind her daughter Davette Walton Sylvester (Clarence), son David Todd Walton, grandchildren Kayla Renee Sylvester, Marcose Walton, Corey Deon Sylvester, Tiriah and Chandler Walton, Sharif and Shem Tarpin, great granddaughter Nevaeh Sylvester, and many nieces and nephews.

Services will be held on Friday August 4, 2023, at 10;00 AM at Antioch Baptist Church 7650 Amherst Street, Sacramento CA 95832.  Followed by internment at 1:00 PM at St. Mary’s Cemetery 6509 Fruitridge Road, Sacramento, Ca 95820