Minister Delanis Earl Walker
10/15/1957 - 02/06/2020
If a man's life is measured by his impact on others, than Delanis Earl Walker has left a rich and enduring legacy. His easy and good natured personality made him a stranger to no one. A natural storyteller, Delanis entertained friends and family a like with takes of his youth.
Born to Ina Mae and L.J. Walker, jr on October 15, 1957, in the small town of New Hebron, Delanis was a country boy at heart. At an early age he joined North Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church where he attended faithfully with his parents and sisters, Delores and Virginia. Delanis was gifted athlete and excelled in high school sports. He graduated from new Hebron High School in 1976. thereafter, he attended Copiah-Lincoln Community College and obtained her certificate in welding.
After graduating, Delanis was employed with Magnetek, Inc. and he worked offshore for several years. He was employed with Pennsylvania Life Insurance and worked in management in various grocery stores, including Sack & Save, Jitney Jungle, Winn-Dixie, McDade's and Sullivan's Grocery. His last employment was with Sanders Farms.
In this free time, Delanis loved to explore trails, fish, hunt and appreciate the beauty of nature. He passed on this love of nature to his daughter, Chelsea and Shelby. He was a avid equestrian and taught his girls how to handle and ride a horse. So skilled was Shelby in riding by her side. In 2019, Delanis and Shelby were featured in an article, "Jackson Black Rodeo: Father, Daughter Over the Years" in The Clarion Ledger.
Aside from his love for nature and photography, Delanis was a deeply spiritual man. In 1993, he joined College Hill Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Hosea J. Hines. At. College Hill, he was ordained as a Deacon and later accepted a call to the ministry, preaching his first sermon in November 2000. He loved spreading the Word of God, and his love of God extended to his love of people. He reveled in touching the lives of people especially young people. As a manager and supervisor of a grocery store, he would hire and inspire young people to have a strong work ethic.
At the very core of his being was his love fro family. He was a devoted son, a protective brother, a caring uncle and husband, and above all a proud and doting father. He encouraged his daughters, Chelsea and Shelby, to reach for the stars and to uplift others as they strive for excellence.
Like her father Chelsea was a natural athlete, and she could count on her father's support in all her endeavors. With his encouragement, she excelled in science fairs, as well as church and school presentations. Her father was always a constant at her athletic events whether she was playing basketball, golf, running track or cheer-leading. Chelsea could count on him to be at her games rooting for her and beaming with pride. This memory of him shouting and whistling on the sidelines is forever etched in Chelsea's mind as one of her favorite memories of her dad. one of Shelby's favorite memories of her father is riding their horese at night under the the light of a full moon. They rode and rode and rode until they were ready to go home. Tonight, when you look up at the moon, know that Delanis is riding home to glory, smiling down on us, and cheering all of us on to victory.
Delanis leaves to cherish his memories; two daughters, Chelsea Janai and Shelby Kathleen and their mother Tara Bryant Walker, a son, Aiden Michael Dyer, two sisters, Delores (Lynell) Smith and Virginia (Robert) McDuffey, aunt, Mary Lou Everett, nieces, great nieces, and a great nephews, cousins and friends and his faithfully dog and constant companion, Sara.