Dr. Walker, who has been practicing medicine for 35 years, will officially retire from Belleville Medical Center Sept. 1, 2022. After that, he will be focusing on his patients in Mankato with office hours on the first four Thursdays in the month and for now, two Mondays a month. He will be available to the nurse practitioners and physicians assistants 24 hours a day seven days a week if they have questions or concerns about patients they see.

Walker graduated from medical school in 1987. His residency lasted three years allowing him to graduate in 1990. After residency graduation, Walker went to practice in Belleville. In 2012 he started seeing patients in Mankato.

Walker went to high school in Union Town and to college at Baker University just south of Lawrence, Kan. "It's the oldest four-year college west of the Mississippi," Walker said. He went to medical school at Kansas University for four years. Walker did his three- year residency at KU Med.

Walker aspired to work in the medical field mostly because of his family doctor. "I thought he was such a neat guy," Walker said. In high school he took a test that said he would do well in engineering or as a doctor, so he decided to try as a doctor.

Walker has been married for more than 40 years. "She is my first and only wife," Walker said. He met her at Baker University and they were married while he was in school. When asked if his wife was a doctor too, Walker said with a laugh, "She is not. She's smarter than that." Walker and his wife have three children and four grandchildren. "It's one of the reasons I cut back," Walker said. "I wanted more time with family.

Walker's hobbies include gardening, fishing, traveling with his wife and skiing. "I don't golf," Walker said. "It's like what Mark Twain said, 'It's a long walk wasted.'"

Walker said if he were to retire, he would stay in Belleville. "I have my house there, and my grandchildren," Walker said. "I see no reason to move." He plans to do more traveling when he retires, whenever that may be. He doesn't know when he plans to retire. "I really like doctoring," he said. "Sometimes you can really make a difference in someone's life."

Walker is inspired by his grandchildren, nature and his wife. In the medical field he is inspired when he can learn a procedure that will make a difference.

Dr. Walker will be focusing on his patients in Mankato. He has been practicing medicine for 35 years, will officially retire from Belleville Medical Center Sept. 1, 2022.

"Usually when someone has a strange disease, they have done their research. But as a doctor, you need to become as well versed in it as the patient is." Walker said. The internet is useful in learning about treatments and the condition itself. He said he is required to do hours of continuing education. When he was younger, Walker did many surgical rotations.

"The people over here are nice," Walker said. "They are very appreciative."