Mr. Walton was born on July 31, 1942 in Salisbury, North Carolina to his parents, Arnold Adam Walton, Sr. and Mildred Earnhardt Walton of Granite Quarry. He was in the first graduating class from East Rowan High School, in 1960, and went on to earn several degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He received a Bachelor of Arts in math education in 1964, a Master of Arts in mathematics teaching in 1967, and an educational specialist degree in 1977.
Mr. Walton had a long career in education. After receiving his undergraduate degree, he taught math and coached wrestling, football, and track at West Rowan High School from 1964 until 1968, when he returned to Chapel Hill for his masters degree. While in Chapel Hill, he taught math and coached junior varsity football and track at Chapel Hill High School. In 1969, he became assistant principal of West Rowan High School. He returned to the classroom as a math teacher at East Rowan High School from 1976 to 1979. He was named assistant principal of China Grove Middle School in 1979 and became principal of Morgan Elementary School in 1980. In 1983, he became principal of Granite Quarry Elementary School, where he remained until his retirement in 1993. After his retirement, he served in various part-time positions with the Rowan-Salisbury School System. When he retired from part-time work, he had served in the Rowan-Salisbury School System for 31 years full-time and 11 years part-time.
Mr. Walton was an active member of the Granite Quarry Civitan Club for over 30 years. He twice served as President and served in various other offices within the club, including as Treasurer for seven years. As a member of Civitan, he received several awards from the North Carolina District West, including President of the Year, Civitan of the Year, and Family of the Year. He was a member of Shiloh United Methodist Church. He loved the UNC Tarheels, working in his garden and orchard, and, most of all, his family.
Mr. Walton is survived by his wife of 45 years, Colleen Trexler Walton; their three children, Clark Christopher Walton and his wife, Julia, of Charlotte, Priscilla Leigh Walton-Fein and her husband, Ashden Fein, of Arlington, Virginia, and Thad Aaron Walton and his wife, Megan, of Charlotte; and eight grandchildren, Jason Tyler Walton, Madeleine Amelia Walton, Hattie Ann Walton, Aron Trexler (Trex) Fein, Wyatt Randall Walton, Adele Beatrice Fein, Grace Harmon Walton, and Miller Lee Walton. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Arnold Adam Walton, Jr., and his grandson, John MacArthur Walton.
Service: The family will greet friends and relatives from 1:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. on Sunday, December 10, at Shiloh United Methodist Church, in Granite Quarry. A funeral service will immediately follow at 3 p.m in the church sanctuary. The Granite Quarry Civitan Club will be seated as a group. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.
Memorials: In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Shiloh United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 315, Granite Quarry, NC 28072, or to the Glenn A. Kiser Hospice House c/o Rowan Medical Center Foundation, 130 Mocksville Avenue, Salisbury, NC 28144.
The Waltons would like to thank all of our dear family and friends who were so supportive during Ralph’s illness.
