Leon Walker

Leon Walker (Hyattsville/Landover (MD) Alumni 1984) transitioned to the Chapter Invisible on Friday, April 3rd, 2020, at the age of 82, while at home with his beloved family by his side. He was born in Lawrenceville, Virginia on February 28th, 1938 to Thomas James Walker and Annie Mae Handy Walker. He attended James Solomon Russell High School. Upon graduating from high school, he attended Virginia State College, now Virginia State University. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, with a minor in Accounting. Garnering the moniker, ‘Wonderful Walker,’ Brother Walker was considered royalty on the campus of Virginia State for his tutoring prowess and his ability to help students grasp the most difficult phenomena of their curriculum.

Brother Walker was an Achiever early on in his career. He was considered the vanguard of African American Certified Public Accountants, becoming the third African American to pass the CPA examination in the state of Virginia. As a result, he was granted licensure to practice in the states of Maryland and Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia.

In 1969, after a short term with the US Census Bureau, Brother Walker joined Bert W. Smith, Jr., fellow Virginia State University alumnus, working as a CPA at the Washington, DC-based accounting and consulting firm, Bert Smith & Company. During his remarkable 30-year career with the company, the firm gained recognition as one of the top minority CPA firms in the Washington Metropolitan Area. As a senior partner, he was responsible for accounting services, audits, consulting, business valuations, litigation support and management advisory services. Later in his career, he was primarily devoted to tax planning and client representation before federal and local taxing authorities. He was the third full time employee of Bert Smith & Company and retired in 2010.

During his career as an accountant, he also served on many boards and advisory panels, such as Universal Bank, First Combined Federal Credit Union, Prince George’s County Property Tax Appeals Board and National Association of Minority CPA Firms, as well as several publicly traded, early-stage development companies. As a result of his outstanding success and work ethic, he was named the Small Business Advocate of the Year by the Small Business Administration and served as a member of the Commissioner of the IRS Advisory Group. He is also a lifetime member of the National Association of Black Accountants.

As an alumnus of Virginia State University, he has graciously and ferociously supported his alma mater. He established an endowment fund for both Accounting and Finance majors. To always remain connected to VSU, he became a life member of the University’s alumni association. Brother Walker also sought membership into VSU’s Powell Society, which is a prestigious faction of alumni, who’ve pledged to include Virginia State University in their last will and testament. For this and a myriad of other acts of kindness and deeds, Brother Walker was inducted into the University’s Wall of Fame.

In addition, he generously supported other organizations and causes throughout his life, such as the NAACP, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, local health fairs, church ministries and several other programs. Because of his efforts and unwavering university support, the alumni brothers of The Virginia State University Chapter, the Alpha Phi of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. (E) honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award and made him an honorary member of their Chapter. As if he didn’t have enough feathers in his cap already, he also served as an adjunct professor of Accounting at the University of the District of Columbia for almost 15 years, educating, mentoring and molding young minds.

Brother Walker was a Spring 1984 initiate of The Hyattsville/Landover (MD) Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. (E). He was a legend and a giant in our Chapter. He was a true Kappa man; a real brother’s brother, as many of the brothers who had the pleasure of serving with him have remarked. As a member of the Hyattsville/Landover (MD) Alumni Chapter, he was very instrumental in establishing a 501(c)3 foundation for the Chapter in the name of the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation of Maryland, Inc. He was also highly sought after by other Kappa chapters to help them do the same. This was monumental, as it provided chapters with the ability to raise tax deductible funds to support their communities, Guide Right programs and scholarship purses. He leaves behind a rich and flourishing legacy of ‘Service’ and ‘Brotherhood.’

Having a robust background in money management and accounting, Brother Walker was able to bring forth several fundraising ventures. He created and implemented our Chapter’s inaugural golf tournament to raise funds and spark fellowship and friendly competition amongst the brothers and their guests. He created an incredibly friendly environment within the Chapter, encouraging brothers to work alongside him, which promoted a great deal of inclusivity. He personified the mantra ‘if everyone does a little, no one has to do a lot.’

Last spring, at our Chapter’s 40th Anniversary Gala, Brother Walker was the inaugural recipient of the Leon Walker Pioneer Award; an award named in his honor, recognizing the brother who ‘Puts forth great effort to help move the Chapter and the Fraternity forward by positively affecting the lives of those served and those who serve.’ These acts have spanned over the course of his 36 years of service and dedication to Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., the Hyattsville/Landover (MD) Alumni Chapter and the greater Prince George’s County, MD area. With all his professional endeavors, fraternal responsibilities and familial obligations, Brother Walker still found time to serve as a Trustee at the First Baptist Church of Highland Park in Landover, MD, where Brother, Dr. Henry P. Davis III (Epsilon Zeta 1980), serves as Pastor.

Left to cherish the memories of Brother Walker’s life are his loving wife of 39 years, Goldie Walker; three children, Cheryl Walker, Christopher “Walker Redds” Walker and Stacey Turner (Reuben); five grandchildren, Orlando (Emma Lee), Olivia, Eden, Grace, and Levi; two great-grandchildren, Emmitt and Walker; one sister, Carrie Sanders (Fred); one brother, Clarence Walker (Grace) and a host of family and friends. One brother, Thomas J. Walker, Jr., preceded him in death.