Nelle Willene Hicks Gayarre Walden

Willene Walden, age 99 of Canyon, Texas passed away on Tuesday September 2, 2025 after a long battle with dementia.

A viewing will be held at the Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 S Georgia, at 10 am, Saturday, September 13, 2025 in Amarillo Texas. Burial will follow at 11:30 am at the Llano Cemetery in Amarillo, 2900 S Hayes St.

Nell, or Willene as she was popularly known, was born on January 1, 1926 in Helena Arkansas to Phillip Alexander Estevan de Gayarre and Virgie Lee Rowland Gayarre. She was a New Year’s baby and the first baby born that year in Helena Arkansas!

She was one of seven sisters. Willene grew up in Helena and attended Helena High School, graduating in 1944. She met and married her husband Harry Hudson Walden, of West Helena Arkansas upon his return from a US Navy deployment during World War II in October 1945. They moved from Helena to Amarillo Texas in 1947. Upon the death of Willene’s parents, the couple adopted Willene’s youngest sister Cleo Kay and raised her as their own.

Willene furthered her education at Western Union Business School completing a business course curriculum in 1946 as well as Amarillo College for Shorthand. She was employed at Pekin Wood Products and Western Union Telegraph as a Billing Clerk while residing in Helena, and then Continental Carbon and Natural Gas Pipeline company as a Senior Secretary, and finally Sanders, Saunders, Brian, and Finney, Attorneys At Law as a Legal Secretary/Notary while residing in Amarillo.

While living in Amarillo she was active in several civic organizations and clubs. She was a member of the Amarillo Council of Garden Club, Amarillo Federation of Women’s Club, “The Order of the Rose” associated with Beta Sigma Phi International, and the Safety Service Club. Willene volunteered for many years as a member of the Auxiliary of Saint Andrew’s Hospital (now known as BSA Hospital).

She moved to Canyon Texas to live at Palo Duro Retirement Village, where she continued to enjoy volunteering in the lunch hall and organizing and participating in various activities there.

She was preceded in death by her parents Virgie Lee Rowland and Phillip Alexander Estevan de Gayarre, and her sisters Virginia Jennings, Phylis Stiedle, Myrtle Butler, Maisie McDonald, and Cleo Kay Lefebvre.

Survivors include her younger sister Kathleen Burns of Chicago Illinois, and her “grandchildren” Denise Roarabaugh of Poughkeepsie New York and Paul Lefebvre of McKinney Texas. She leaves “great grandchildren” Ryan and Katelyn Roarabaugh of New York, Janelle Martin and Taylor Lefebvre of Texas, and Phillip Lefebvre of Colorado; and also three “great great grandchildren”.

Willene was a very special lady and was loved by all the lives she touched.