Friends and family of the late Governor Olene Walker gathered to pay their respects at a viewing at the Utah State Capitol Thursday.
Visitors who shuffled through the interior of the ornate Gold Room were allowed to pay their respects at the side of the open casket of former Governor Olene Walker. Moving on, the conversations around the room consisted of people recalling memories of the first and only female governor of Utah and the impact she had on their lives. Mary Bangerter was one of those people.
“Next to my mom, I learned more about how to treat people and more about taking the higher road from Olene," Bangerter says. "That’s kind of a personal thing to share, but it’s the truth.”
Rachel Zirkle is one of Walker’s granddaughters. She says it’s inspiring to see so many people show up that truly loved her.
“It means a lot to me to bring my kids here now and to be able to see their great-grandma and the legacy that she has here and the roll she still plays to all these people who have come to honor her," Zirkle says. "It’s really touching.”
Funeral services for Walker will take place on Friday at the Canyon Rim Stake Center. She will be interred at the Salt Lake City Cemetery. Walker was 85 when she passed away. She was a champion of education and leaves behind a legacy that will continue beyond her death.
