Washoe Tribe offices were closed Friday in honor of former Chairman Waldo W. Walker, who died June 17, 2022. He was 52.
A Marine Corps veteran of Operation Desert Storm, Walker served from 2006-2010 as the Tribe’s leader and was the Regional Tribal Relations Advisor for the U.S. Forest Service.
Born Sept. 27, 1969, in Schurz, he grew up in Woodfords on Diamond Valley Road. He graduated from Douglas High School and then joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988.
Walker served in the first Desert Storm and completed his enlistment in 1992.
He worked for the Washoe Housing Authority and volunteered with the Dresslerville Headstart Program.
He took work in Idaho and attended Boise State University. After about five years, he returned to Gardnerville and worked for Bently Nevada.
He received an associates of applied science degree from Western Nevada Community College in 2002.
He is survived by his wife, Melody and two daughters, Rachel and Rebecca.
In 2006, he defeated longtime Chairman A. Brian Wallace after a contentious 10-person race that saw the Tribe’s issues with the Minden siren spill into the public consciousness.
