Penelope Diane Erekson Walker

"Miss Penny"

Penny, age 81, returned to her Heavenly Father on March 17, 2023. Penny was born on September 18, 1941 to Alma O. Erekson and Frances Penelope Rushton. She was raised on a mink ranch in Butlerville, Utah (now Cottonwood Heights) with many cousins, aunts, uncles, and her grandparents. She graduated from Jordan High School and went on to attend college at BYU. She married Jay Douglas Thompson (later divorced) and had three daughters. Penny then married her high school sweetheart, Royal Kent Walker, gaining two stepsons and had three more children.

Penny was a dancer from a young age, beginning with tap and ballet. She later found modern dance, where she trained under Virginia Tanner who was a leading pioneer for modern dance. Penny knew that teaching dance was her calling in life. She went on to teach for over forty years mostly in the studio in her home. Miss Penny wanted to share her love of dance with as many children as possible. When parents couldn’t afford dance class, she arranged for them to pay for lessons by sewing costumes, building props, or allowing for smaller fees. Penny’s passion for the arts continued and later in life, she attended the University of Utah where she majored in art. Penny loved to be creative and spent much of her free time painting portraits of her family, landscapes, and flowers. She also loved to write poetry, short stories, and was an avid journal writer and student of the scriptures.

Penny had a flair for the dramatic that could be seen everyday in her art, dress, and jewelry. She loved to wear a great hat and funky jewelry for special occasions. Penny always walked like a true dancer and had the best posture of anyone. She was a loving mother, sister, aunt, a great friend, and a devoted wife. She always wanted to help her family anyway that she could and would sacrifice as much as she could if it meant someone wouldn’t have to go without.

Penny was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She served a service mission in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband Royal and was an ordinance worker in the Draper Temple. She lived in Butler, Sandy, Esfahan, Iran; Draper, and Riverton.

Preceded in death by her husband, Royal Kent Walker, mother and father, brothers John Erekson, Tim Erekson, sister Marie Erekson Day, and her daughter Stephanie Thompson Tracy.

Survived by Susan Lloyd (Scott), Shannon Smith (Steve), Carolyn Kimball (Chris), Garett Walker, Hailee Brooks (Brant) Troy Walker (Stefani) and Kyle Walker (Jennifer) and 31 grandchildren and great grandchildren.

We would like to thank her CNAs and nurses, specifically Kristi Gardiner, for their loving care and attention in the twilight of her life.

A viewing will be held at the Anderson & Goff Mortuary, 11859 S 700 E, Draper, on Thursday, March 23 from 6-8 p.m. Funeral services will be at the Parkway Ward LDS Chapel, 12120 South 1300 West in Riverton on Friday, March 24 at 11 am with a viewing prior one hour before the service.

The interment will be with her sweetheart at the Utah Veterans Memorial Park, 17111 South 1700 West in Bluffdale.

The funeral service will be livestreamed at:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/tJwtcuyurD8qG9YA7hBaA2o6vnoC0RBZNbF8