Mary Isabelle Walker, age 89, of Washington, Iowa died Saturday, January 22, 2011 at the United Presbyterian Home following a lengthy illness.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Thursday, January 27th at the Jones & Eden Funeral Home in Washington with Rev. Bob Spilgar officiating. Visitation will begin noon Wednesday at the Jones & Eden Funeral Home where the family will receive friends from 6:00 to 7:00 Wednesday evening. Interment will take place at the Elm Grove Cemetery in Washington, Iowa. Memorials have been established for the Mission Fund of Fern Cliff Church and the United Presbyterian Home. Online condolences may be sent for Isabelle's family through the web at www.jonesfh.com

Isabelle was born February 24, 1921 in Xenia, Ohio the daughter of Roy and Mary (Ferguson) McClellan. She graduated from high school in Xenia, Ohio and later graduated from Cedarville College. She attended Cornell University New York. After obtaining her teaching degree, she was united in marriage to Harold T. Walker on June 14, 1944 in Xenia, Ohio.

Isabelle taught school for several years and following their marriage she did missionary work with her husband. Together they served as missionaries for forty years in the Sudan, Africa. They helped establish two schools and a church, as well as train evangelists from various tribes. In later years, their work shifted to Bible translation to help the Mabaan people finish the last few books of the New Testament that had not been completed. After retiring in 1986, Isabelle found another outlet for her desire to teach by joining the adult literacy program. She continued helping adults learn to read as long as her health permitted. In 1999, Isabelle and Harold received the Governor's Award for outstanding service to the state of Iowa in the field of Education. Isabelle is a member of the Fern Cliff Evangelical Free Church and was a member of the Lady Lions Club.

She is survived by her husband Rev. Harold Walker of Washington, Iowa; daughter Rebecca Elliott and husband Robert of Boyd, Texas; daughter Sharon Foelz and husband Micha of Altadena, California; two married grandchildren, Faith and Jonathan, and seven great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her son Peter Walker, two brothers, Rev. Fred McClellan and Paul McClellan, as well as two sisters Lois Bickett and Nelle James.