Stella Irene Walker

Stella Irene Walker, 88, of North Vernon, passed away at 6:06 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at Schneck Medical Center in Seymour.

Born April 17, 1938, in Bethel Ridge, Kentucky, she was the daughter of the late Ira B. and Ora (Watson) Spears.

Stella worked as a DST at the former Muscatatuck State Developmental Center in Butlerville for five years before retiring in 1994; She had previously worked in Quality Control for Oxford Industries for twenty years. She was a member of Restoration Fellowship Church in Butlerville, North Vernon Moose Lodge and North Vernon Am Vets Post #7. Stella enjoyed taking walks, flowers, painting and spending time with her grandchildren.

She is survived by her daughters, Lana Walker, Judy (Robert) Ertel, and Sherry (Burt) Shaw, all of North Vernon; brother, Thomas (Wilma) Spears of Somerset, Kentucky; sisters, Freeda Wesley of Cincinnati, Ohio and Mary Lou Arnette of North Vernon; grandchildren, Meredeth (Brad) Morin of North Vernon, Kathryn (Aaron) Booth and Lyndsey (Kenneth) Hughes, both of Indianapolis, and Taylor Shaw of Hanover; and great-grandchildren, Gabrielle Morin, Asher Morin, and Elise Morin, all of North Vernon, Lilliana Booth, Finn Booth, Evva Hughes, Elliott Hughes, and Arya Hughes, all of Indianapolis, and Kingsley Shaw of Hanover.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Delbert, Homer, Stanley, Willis, Dale and Lewis Spears; and sisters, Beulah Denham and Norma Jean Taylor.

A funeral service for Stella will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 24, 2026, at the Dove-Sharp & Rudicel Funeral Home and Cremation Service in North Vernon with the Rev. Ira Scott officiating. The visitation for family and friends will be on Sunday, from 2:00 p.m. until the time of the service. Burial will be in the Holton Methodist Church Cemetery in Holton.

Memorials may be made in honor of Stella through the funeral home to Schneck Medical Center Hospice.

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