Christopher Barrett Walker

Christopher Barrett Walker was born on August 21, 1977 in St. Louis, MO, to Otis and Earline Walker. Christopher was the youngest of two children. Rachel was his older sister. 

Christopher confessed his faith in Christ at an early age and was baptized at the age of six. He became a Junior Usher and served the Lord as an usher until he graduated from high school. 

Christopher was an avid sportsman and loved sports early in life.  At the early age of 4 years old, he was the batboy for the Pirates of then Mathews-Dickey Boy’s Club, who his dad and Steve Monroe coached.  He played soccer for St. Francis Xavier Elementary School and played basketball for Cardinal Ritter High School. While attending Cardinal Ritter, Christopher loved to play basketball so much that he joined the Amateur Athletic Union. While playing for the AAU, he was selected to go to Ireland to play his favorite sport.  Christopher was a very sentimental young man. After three years at Cardinal Ritter, he wanted to graduate from Beaumont High School, which is where his parents met and fell in love.  Otis and Earline were apprehensive at first – but gave their consent. Christopher played both varsity football and basketball at Beaumont High School. His greatest love was for the Mathews-Dickey Boy’s and Girl’s Club, where he learned how to play organized sports such as baseball, basketball, and football.  Christopher’s greatest life reflection relating to sports was his volunteer work as a football coach.  He was so proud to work as an assistant coach with Raeffel Merriweather who later trained and developed now Dallas Cowboy’s, Ezekiel Elliott.

After high school, Christopher proclaimed he was going to be a businessman.  He held various jobs at major retail corporations throughout St. Louis (Baker’s Shoe Store and Footlocker).  At the age of 20, he was promoted to the role of store manager at the Crestwood Footlocker Store.  

Little did his parents know that the retail experience he had gained would aid them in developing the family business, Smoki O’s, “Where BBQ is Done Right.”  Christopher became the store manager.  While working at the family business, he was awarded the “Yes I Can,” award by the St. Louis Sentinel in 2001 for being a “Role Model For Minority Youth.”

Christopher worked hard to help establish the family business in the community. His friendly personality was a plus for customer service and vendor relations. He liked people and people found him likeable, which was a plus for sales and employee relations. 

In the fall of 2004, Christopher met his future wife, LaKenya Roberson. They married on August 20, 2005. To this union, London Christina Walker was born. Christopher was so proud of his family and decided he would make some career adjustments, although he would hold fast to his goal to be a businessman. Christopher attended and graduated from Leonard’s Barber College. His goal was to develop his barber business during the day and work in the family business at night. It was important for him to be active in his daughter’s life, so he volunteered to coach the girl’s basketball team at her school as soon as she could dribble the ball. 

In July of 2015, Christopher suffered a stroke and was classified as disabled. Although he had other health concerns, this was the big one. He continued to fight for quality of life, so he started a home-based tee-shirt business.  He attended various sporting events when not dialyzing.  He would market his wear to area teams, in addition to selling his services to any organization that required tee-shirts, hats, or jackets.

On July 5, 2019, he was admitted to the hospital with right heart failure. On Sunday, August 18, 2019 God called and said, “Christopher, I have some business for you!”

As we celebrate his life and legacy, Matthew 25:21 is appropriate for him.  “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over few things, I will make thee the ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”

Christopher leaves to cherish his legacy and many precious memories a host of loving family and friends.

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