Alamae Knight Walton was born March 30, 1929, in Taswell, Indiana, and departed this life and entered into eternal life on December 23, 2021, at the age of 92. Her mother was Mildred Archibald Knight and her father was Lester Ivan Knight. Both her mother and father were teachers. Her mother taught thirty-five years and her father three years before he became a rural mail carrier for almost forty-four years.
When she was four (in 1933) they moved from Taswell into a new house at the edge of town. At the age of six, she enrolled in a two-room country school at Taswell. She had to walk to school. Since her mother was a teacher, she sometimes went to school with her. She spent a part of one school year at Alton, Indiana, where her mother was teaching. In 1943 she enrolled in English High School. During the whole four years of her high school, she was absent only four days. A brief illness in her junior year interrupted a perfect attendance record which had begun in the grades. In her senior year, she was society editor of the “Englishman,” the school paper, and she also assisted with the class annual.
Upon graduating from English High School in 1947 she received a scholarship to Oakland City College. She enrolled in college in June of 1947 and studied summer and winter until she graduated with a B.S. Degree in both Music and Business in 1950. She took courses in voice, sight-reading, piano, and clarinet, etc.
Her teaching career started in 1950 in Elberfeld, Indiana. The next two years she taught at her alma mater, English High School. She had an elementary, secondary, and vocational business license. She taught at Birdseye High School for sixteen years where she taught grade school music, high school chorus, and band, plus many business subjects. She also supervised the Birdseye school paper and the school annual. She was the school bookkeeper and treasurer and anything else that was needed. She even got a permit and taught girls’ physical education one year. While at Birdseye she took her three children with her. She also taught remedial reading in the summers when she was not working or her Masters Degree. In 1962 she accompanied the Senior Class (by train) to Washington D.C. In 1963 she received an M.S. Degree in business education from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. During that time, she was invited to join the Delta Pi Epsilon, Theta Chapter at Bloomington which is a business fraternity for both men and women.
In 1971 Birdseye High School was consolidated with Ferdinand High School which became Forest Park. She taught at Forest Park for another sixteen years. While at Ferdinand, she taught typing to adults and summer typing for high school students. She also taught bookkeeping, typing, keyboarding, general business, shorthand, office machines, and office practice during the regular school year.
She was blessed with three children: Billy Ray Walton (Lou Ann) of Oriole, Indiana; Rita Ann Reckner (Ron) of Leavenworth, Indiana; and Nicholas Lynn Walton (Cindy) of Petersburg, Indiana. She also had five grandchildren: Robby Walton of Huntingburg, Indiana, & Mindy {Schzinger} Martin of Jasper, Indiana; Megan Milnes (Adam) of Martinsville, Indiana and Brady Walton (Tonya) of Jasper, Indiana; & Savannah Marie Conrad (Tad) of Marengo, Indiana. There were also thirteen great-grandchildren: Olivia Meyer & Marshall William Schzinger of Jasper, Indiana; and Ivy Glenn & Riley Tate Highbaugh and Jason Conrad of Marengo, Indiana, and Nolan Michael Walton & Canon Walton of Huntingburg, Indiana, Trent Walton & Madison Jane Walton of Jasper, Indiana & Aven Blue, Lyric Wren, Isaac, & Benjamin Nicholas Milnes of Martinsville, Indiana.
Alamae liked to travel. She took a trip to Israel, Jordan, and Rome in 1978. She took a trip with a church group through the European Alps in 1979 and a Brittany trip in 1984 in which she visited England, Scotland, and Ireland.
After thirty-five years of teaching, she retired in 1987 at the age of 58. Alamae received a plaque from the School District for her years of teaching.
She helped take care of her parents after she retired.
Alamae joined the Taswell Methodist Church on September 23, 1945, at the age of 16. She was baptized in Allstott Creek on Mother’s Day 1946.
She was a member of the Indiana Retired Teachers’ Association and the Taswell Methodist church until its closure and at which time she became a member of the Lincoln Hills United Methodist Church starting in 1985 when the English Church and the Taswell Church merged. She always studied the Word of God and took a big part in church. In 1995 she received a plaque for being a fifty-year member of the Taswell and the Lincoln Hills United Methodist churches. Receiving the plaque that Sunday morning was a complete surprise for her. All her children were present that morning when the Rev. Phyllis Peters presented the plaque. She was always happy to be in the service of her Lord. She personally knew the Savior in whom she put her complete trust. As in the song SAVED BY GRACE– “Oh the joy when I shall wake within the palace of the King!” (She knew the Lord and trusted there would be a place in heav’n for her.)
The silver cord was broken and God beckoned her home. Now she has sailed over Jordon beyond the Silver Sea to the portals of that fair Aiden where there is no pain or sorrow. Her labors are over and the loving Father of us all shall say “Well done, thy good and faithful servant.” With Jesus, there is a light now in the valley of death for those who have accepted Jesus as their savior.
No eye has seen,
No ear has heard,
No mind has conceived
What God has prepared for those who love him- Isaiah 64:4-
She loved her children and her Savior. She loved to play & sing praises to her Lord and Savior. When troubles came, she always turned to the Lord.
To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Now she is singing with the heavenly angles around the great white throne in heaven.
The words to an old song were dear to her:
“Oh, the dear ones in glory, how they beckon me to come, and our parting at the river I recall; To the sweet vales of Eden, they will sing my welcome home, but I long to meet my Savior first of all. I shall know Him, I shall know Him and redeemed by His side I shall stand. I shall know Him I shall know Him by the print of the nails in His hand.”
Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting: (I Corinthians 15:55)
She was preceded in death by her parents, Mildred and Lester Knight.
She always prayed for her name to be written in the LAMB’S BOOK OF LIFE.
She also prayed that the names of her children be written there too.
She is now survived by her three children: Billy Ray Walton of Oriole, Indiana; Rita Ann Ross of Leavenworth, Indiana, and Nicholas Lynn Walton of Petersburg, Indiana. There are Five Grand Children: Robby Walton of Huntingburg, Mindy Meyer of Taswell, Indiana, Savannah Marie Conrad of Marengo, Indiana; Megan Milnes of Martinsville, Indiana, and Brady Walton of Jasper, Indiana.
A private family funeral service will be held. Online condolences may be made at www.denbo-dillmanfuneralhomes.com
Denbo Funeral Home is honored to serve the family and the wishes of Mrs. Alamae K. Walton.
