Roland Robert Walkes

A memorial service will be held for The Reverend Roland Walkes at 11:00 AM Friday January 16th at Evangel United Methodist Church in Rochester. The Rev. Jeff Utecht and The Rev. Eldon Reich will co-officiate. Burial of the urn will be at Oakwood Cemetery in the spring. Rev. Walkes, 92, of Rochester, died Tuesday January 13, 2015 at Shorewood Commons, where he and his wife have resided the past few years.
Roland Robert Walkes was born January 11, 1923 in Avon, South Dakota, the son of Henry Walkes and Rebecca (Voigt) Walkes. Raised on the family farm, he attended rural schools and faithfully attended a rural Evangelical church in the Avon community. He accepted Christ as his personal Saviour at the age of 13 in a small Evangelical church. At the altar of that same church, he dedicated his life to the Christian ministry on the evening before leaving for college.
He graduated from high school in 1940, and was a member of the debate teams and competed in the State Oratorical Contest. He attended Westmar College in LeMars, Iowa, graduating in 1944. He received his license to preach in 1942. After graduation from college he was assigned to serve the Evangelical Church at Butler, South Dakota.
He married Verlaine Helm in Rochester, Minnesota on June 14, 1945. In 1947, he enrolled at Western, Evangelical Seminary, in Portland, Oregon. During seminary training, he served student pastorates at Adna, Washington and Tigard, Oregon. He graduated from Seminary in 1950. Following Seminary graduation, he returned to South Dakota to continue full time pastoral ministry, and he was ordained in 1950. Rev. Walkes served often as an evangelist in the South Dakota Conference in many of the churches. He was a member of the Board of Evangelism and the Conference Board of Trustees. He served as Evangelist and/or Bible teacher for the Canadian-North Dakota Christian Ashram, the South Dakota Ashram, and the Nebraska-Iowa Ashram. He served churches at Butler, Monroe-Brothersfield, Yankton, McLaughlin, Eureka-Artas, and Clark-Garden City.
He retired from active Ministry in 1984 and moved to Rochester. In retirement, he served short interim pastorates. He served as visitation pastor at Stewartville from 1986 to 1993. He became visitation pastor at Evangel United Methodist Church in Rochester in 1993, and served the church for more than 16 years, and retired on June 1, 2009, finishing 65 years in the ministry.
He enjoyed good music; sang solos and was in duets and quartets. He directed the male chorus at the McLaughlin and Eureka churches. He attended the concerts of the Rochester Symphony Orchestra and Chorale for many years. He loved the Evangel United Methodist Church Choir. He also enjoyed attending the sporting events of the three public high schools.
Rev. Walkes is survived by his wife, Verlaine Walkes, of Rochester; a daughter, Janice (Les) Frydenlund, of Eagan; a son, Jon (Darla Anderson) Walkes, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; 2 grandchildren, Adam Frydenlund, and Paul (Samantha) Frydenlund; 2 great-grandchildren, Bennett and William Frydenlund. Also surviving are his sisters, Dorothy Stocker and Donna (David) Matthews; a brother, The Rev. Donald (Helen) Walkes; and a sister-in-law, Fran Walkes. He was preceded in death by his parents; and 2 brothers, Reuben and Raymond Walkes.
Visitation will be 1 hour prior to the service at the church on Friday.
If so desired, memorials may be directed to Evangel United Methodist Church Missions. Online tributes are being welcomed and may be created at this website.

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Visitation

JAN 16. 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM (CST)

Evangel United Methodist Church
2645 Broadway Avenue N
Rochester, MN

Service

JAN 16. 11:00 AM (CST)

Evangel United Methodist Church
2645 Broadway Avenue N
Rochester, MN