Walker, Delores Cortez

Delores Cortez Walker passed away on September 10, 2026, in her hometown of Blacksburg, Virginia. The eldest of five siblings, she was born on May 7, 1948, to Beatrice Freeman Walker and William L Walker.

Delores’s roots in the New River Valley ran deep, as she came from a family that has been in Blacksburg and the New River Valley for generations. She graduated valedictorian from the historic Christiansburg Institute (C.I.) in 1966, as part of the last graduating class. She was a proud and active volunteer with the Christiansburg Institute Alumni Association.

Following high school, Delores attended Norfolk State University where she became a member of the National Society of Pershing Angels and earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts. Along with her dry wit and irreverent sense of humor, she was known as an outstanding cook, baker, and plant mom. She was also a fierce advocate, activist, and volunteer for civil rights in all its forms, based on a staunch belief that everyone is equal. Delores instilled a lifelong love of learning, pride in family and Black history, and most of all, she was a loving, supportive, and giving mother to her only daughter Latanya.

She is survived by her daughter, Latanya Walker, her brother, Leo D. Walker, and her half-sister, Michelle Walker. No service is currently scheduled. Rather her family asks that pictures, videos, and stories be shared on her memorial site. www.online-tribute.com/DeloresWalker