Family, friends and colleagues are invited to the Memorial Service for R. Neal Walker, to be held at: Venusian Gardens, 2601 Chartres Street (cnr Chartres & Franklin) New Orleans La.on Saturday, February 3, 2007 at 3:30pm with an Open House to follow at Neal’s home, just around the corner. All are welcome.In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Louisiana Capital Assistance Center, www.thejusticecenter.org/lcac
To all of Neal's friends
From: Anna, Neal's fiance.
Neal was a beautiful, intelligent, loving man. I loved him with my whole heart. Our hearts are broken.
I find it difficult to put words to our loss. Please keep us in your thoughts.
There will be two memorial celebrations.
New Orleans:
Date: February 3rd (now post-memorial gathering)
Time:4:30PM
Place: 2616 Royal Street
Corner of Franklin
Lexington KY:
Date: February 10th
Time: 3:30PM
Place: 612 Central Avenue
Near corner of Old Park and Central
Please pass this on. Thank you.
Anna amaanna@gmail.com
2 comments:
Dear Anna:
I am writing to say how very sorry I am about Neal. My heart goes out to you & to Jenny & to all who knew & loved Neal.
I am an old friend of Neal's. I met him in the late 80's through his dear friends, Karen & Mark, who knew him in Lexington. Karen & I grew up together in New York City. We all hung out in San Francisco, where I live, talking about music, art, books, postcards, food, when Neal visited.
I became a criminal defense lawyer in 1985 and did death penalty work between 1989-1994. During that time I would see Neal at death penalty conferences. I remember at one conference -- Aerlie in Virginia -- Neal & I were sitting together & someone --maybe Scharlette? -- made a joke about how great it was that Neal & I were old friends, as he is so tall & I am barely five feet in my shoes.
My memories of Neal are mostly snapshots -- hunting down bizarre postcards in North Beach, drinking beer, smiling at each other from across a conference room. We again met in DC in 1992 when Neal argued before the US Supreme Court in Sawyer v. Whitley, and a death case I was on was coincidentally on the same calendar. Watching Neal argue was a rare treat & privilege.
I left death penalty work for good at the end of 1994 when my younger brother died in a murder/suicide. I could no longer do the work myself, but I have boundless admiration for those, like Neal, who could and do. I continued to hear news of Neal from time to time. I followed his activities after Katrina on line & in the news from New Orleans. Knowing that Neal was there, fighting, was a source of comfort & hope.
When I visited Karen in Iowa this November, we spoke of Neal and how I was going for the first time ever to New Orleans in April for a friend's wedding & I wanted to get in touch with Neal, ask him where to eat, what music to go hear, what to do to try to help N.O. Meeting up every decade under strange circumstances was our way.
I learned last Tuesday of Neal's death from a close friend in the death penalty community. I always thought there would be more fantastic coincidental meetings with Neal, more snapshots, more beers, more crazy postcards. It makes me so sad that there won't be.
Unfortunately, I can't come from California for the memorials in New Orleans or in Lexington. Please know, however, that my thoughts are with you, Jenny, & everyone there. I am so glad you & Neal found each other & so sad he is not here anymore.
Sarah
The memorial in New Orleans has been relocated. Family, friends and colleagues are invited to the Memorial Service for R. Neal Walker, to be held at:
Venusian Gardens, 2601 Chartres Street (cnr Chartres & Franklin)
New Orleans La.on Saturday, February 3, 2007 at 3:30pm
with an Open House to follow at Neal’s home, just around the corner. All are welcome.In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Louisiana Capital Assistance Center, www.thejusticecenter.org/lcac/donations. Donations will be applied to the LCAC Client Welfare Fund to improve the lives of those Neal worked to save.
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