Neil Joseph (Nish) Walker

Neil J. Walker (Nish)

Sydney Mines

It is with great sadness we announce the death of Neil Joseph Walker,99, of Sydney Mines, who passed away at home on Saturday, January 15, 2022.

Born in Sydney Mines on May 7, 1922, Nish was the son of the late John Walker and Ella (MacSween) Walker.  He was a member of Holy Family Parish, Sydney Mines.

Nish realized a love for working with wood at an early age when he joined the Navy during the war.  In his spare time, he would go to the Navy workshop and learned to operate various woodworking equipment.  Within 6 months he met the requirements to be promoted to shipwright and became a petty officer.  When he left the Navy, he soon started up his own business, Neil J. Walker Lumber, which he successfully operated until his retirement in 1995.  After retiring, working with wood became his hobby. He built tables, chairs, and even spinning wheels. He could simply look at an item and then go home and built one. Nothing was too much of a challenge.

He and his wife, Maisie, had a great life together, whether they were close to home, enjoying the cabin in Barrachois, making trips to Europe and Australia, or traveling across Canada and the US.  But their favourite times were camping trips in Newfoundland.

He will be sadly missed by family and friends who frequently visited.  He is survived by his brother, George (Shirley), Bras d’Or, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his wife, Maisie (Large); sisters, Marguerite Farrell, Anna Finney, Barbara Penney, Mary Day, Millie Evans and Catherine McNeil and brothers, John (Jake), Douglas, Daniel, Alexander and Billy Rollins.

There will be no visitation.  A funeral service will be held at a later date. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of ones’ choice. Words of comfort may be forwarded to his family at www.jmjobesfuneralhome.com