SELKIRK, NY – Mary Lou Walker, 58, entered heaven on Saturday, July 27, 2011. After several months battling congestive heart failure she left this world quickly while vacationing with family at a favorite state park in Virginia. Mary Lou was a graduate of Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk High School in 1971 and Nyack College in 1975. She and her husband were members of the Wycliffe Bible Translators and had lived, worked and raised their four children in Papua New Guinea for most of the thirty years of their married life. She was involved in providing support services (hospitality, post office, preschool and personnel) for the missionaries who worked at that remote station. Mary Lou is survived by her husband Steve and their children: Ben (Maggie), Daniel, Nick and Julie; her parents, Chet and Joan Bolen; her siblings, Bruce (Katrina), Nancy, Jill (Rance), Bobby (Joanne), Jim (Pam), Melissa (Kevin), Wally, Cathy (Bill), Richard (Lisa), Chip (Lorraine) and Jennifer (Rob). Also surviving are many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her sister Ginny. Mary Lou had a gift of hospitality and was able to put others at ease with her sense of humor and easy going nature. She loved her large family and many friends, but especially her Lord and those less fortunate than herself. She wanted to see others come to know her Savior, particularly those in Papua New Guinea with no access to the Bible in their own language.
Funeral services will be on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. at Pineview Community Church, Washington Ave. Ext., Albany. Calling hours will be Friday from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at New Comer Cannon Funeral Home, 343 New Karner Rd., Colonie (Rt. 155-south of Central Ave). Interment will be in Elmwood Cemetery, Selkirk. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Wycliffe at www.wycliffe.org in memory of Mary Lou Walker.