Sunrise: Jan 20, 1939 • Sunset: Dec 30, 2025
Frances Ola Walker
“She didn’t leave directions—she left a compass.”
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Founder of Parents Against Drugs (1989) and a tireless advocate for West Philadelphia. Frances Walker's work combined grassroots organizing with policy advising to create measurable community impact.
- Advisor to VP Al Gore & Congressman Wm. Gray III
- Mel King Fellow (MIT) 2000-2001
- Pioneered "Healthy Start" Initiative
- President, Dunlap Community Center
Friday, January 9, 2026
Service Schedule
Ezekiel Baptist Church • 5701 Grays Ave, Philadelphia, PA
- 9:00 AM – 10:00 AMViewingPublic Viewing & Reflection
- 10:00 AMServiceLegacy of Love Service
- IntermentBurialMerion Memorial Park
- RepastGatheringFamily Gathering
Order of Service
| Part | Who |
|---|---|
| Processional | Clergy & Family |
| Call to Order & Prayer | Deborah Savage |
| Scripture (Prov 3:5-6) | Mia Washington |
| Scripture (2 Tim 4:7) | Jannie McFadden |
| Acknowledgements, Condolences & Resolutions | Mia Washington |
| Reflections | Dr. Ala Stanford, Jimmy Wooten, Jimmy Allen |
| Obituary | Tariq Walker |
| Roll Call | Abdul-Malik Walker |
| Eulogy | Pastor Dr. Brian D. King |
A Life Well Lived
Her Story
Frances Ola Walker (Jan 20, 1939 – Dec 30, 2025)
Born to Reverend Joseph Willie Walker and Ola Mae Jones-Walker, Frances was reared and educated in Philadelphia. What began as personal shopping for seniors in the Dunlap community grew into a lifetime of national service. As an advisor to Vice President Al Gore and Congressman William H. Gray III, she championed housing equity and civil rights.
In 1989, she founded Parents Against Drugs (PAD), standing on the front lines to reclaim her community. She spearheaded the "Healthy Start" initiative to reduce infant mortality and partnered with UPenn to pioneer urban ecology projects. A Mel King Fellow at MIT (2000-2001), she spent her latter years lecturing virtually, inspiring a new generation.
"Throughout my life I have always loved people... It is through love that all things are possible." — Frances Ola Walker
My grandmother didn’t leave us directions but she left us a compass. Her voice is in our habits, and her strength is in how we handle the miles ahead.
If you walked with her, then you know the way: Speak when it’s hard. Show love and pray... Her legacy lives through what we do.