Holloway Memorial Funeral Home, Inc. | Durham, NC

Obituary For Arnetta Walker

Arnetta Arlesia Blackston Walker, 53, departed this life at Duke Regional Hospital surrounded by her devoted husband and family on Sunday, May 29, 2016 after a brief illness. The youngest of eight children, she was born on November 2, 1962 in Durham, North Carolina to the late Eddie DeCarlos Blackston, Sr. and Gerletha Diane Blackston. She was predeceased in death by her sister Letha Blackston Mayfield, her nephew DeCarlos Blackston, and her brother-in-law Richard I. Walker. Arnetta grew up as a member of Greater St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church where Reverend W. T. Bigelow baptized her at an early age. She and her family remained there until 1993. After years of searching, she found her home at Peace Missionary Baptist Church where her youngest daughter and husband were baptized together in 2014. She received her early education in Durham City Schools, graduating from Durham High School in 1981. She was a committed employee for seventeen years at Coke Classic Food Service. After that business closed she decided to return to school and with sheer determination, Arnetta persevered until she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from North Carolina Central University on May 11, 2013. Sweet, good hearted, unique, determined and loving are all words that describe Arnetta Blackston Walker. A woman of few words, but spoke up when pushed; she was an awesome wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, cousin and friend. She had a big smile and an even bigger heart. Arnetta never missed a birthday to show in some tangible way her love for family. She adored her two girls and her grandson who was very precious to her as evident by her deciding at his birth to stay home to care for him. She leaves to cherish her memory and mourn her loss her best friend for nearly thirty years and recently married husband Willie Herman Walker, two daughters, Danielle Alexandria Walker and Christina Blackston Walker, one grandson Zavier Leemont Pearley; two brothers, Eddie Blackston, Jr (Shelia), and Chandler Blackston; four sisters, Patricia Blackston, Linda Blackston, Shelia Winstead (Charles) and Sandra Blackston; her mother-in-law, Mary L. Walker, three brother-in-laws, Arthur Walker (Brenda), Randall Walker, Anthony Walker (Pamela) and four sister-in-laws, Andre Walker Smith (Duane), Beverly Walker, Ella Walker, Tracey Walker Bridges (Kenneth); ten nieces, twelve nephews; five great nieces, five great nephews; four great-great nieces, three great-great nephews; several cousins, extended family and friends. Services are Saturday June 4, 2016 at Peace MB ChurchWake at 12 Funeral at 1

Guest Book

You can shed tears that she is gone or you can smile because she has lived. You can close your eyes and pray that she’ll come back or you can open your eyes and see all she’s left. Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her or you can be full of the love you shared. You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday. You can remember her and only that she’s gone or you can cherish her memory and let it live on. You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back or you can do what she’d want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on With Love and prasyer

- Geeraldine Patterson

Our prayers go out to your families. We know you shall miss her Beautiful SMILE and so will we. God Bless and remember she always love you all. God Bless Mrs. Faye Ellerbee Gonzalez

- Mrs. Faye Ellerbee Gonzalez

Prayers for the Walker and Blackstone family

- MAYBELL ROPER