Obituaries

Emily H. (Houghton) Walker

April 29, 1931 - August 26, 2026

Services will be held on Friday, September 18, 2026 at Adams Funeral Home, 64 Broad Street, Woodstown, NJ 08098. There will be a visitation starting at 10 AM leading to the funeral service at 11 AM. Interment will follow the service at Lawnside Cemetery, 896 NJ-45, Woodstown, NJ 08098.

Emily Houghton Walker, 95, originally of Woodstown, New Jersey, passed away on August 26, 2026. Born on April 29, 1931, Emily lived a long and accomplished life on her own terms, filled with family, friendship, and a lot of fun along the way.

Emily grew up in Woodstown and was raised by her mother, Hazel Houghton. Her father, George, an interior designer and painter, died of cancer when Emily was just six years old. Her beloved Aunt Emily Gahrs also played an important role in helping to raise her and remained a significant presence throughout her life.

Emily attended Woodstown High School, where she was a majorette in the marching band. She went on to earn a degree from Goldey-Beacom College in bookkeeping and organizational management and held a variety of professional roles throughout her career, including managing the office for Otolaryngology Associates in Haddonfield and handling the bookkeeping for Walker’s Shell for more than 15 years.

Some of Emily’s fondest memories were of the many years she spent working at Cowtown Rodeo, where she served as office secretary for the historic rodeo and livestock market. She went on to work in the Cowtown office for decades, helping to manage operations through three generations of the Harris family.

Over the years, Emily enjoyed gardening, antiquing, and her annual visits to the Philadelphia Flower Show. She had a lifelong fondness for horses, enjoyed caring for her Quarter Horse, “Lady Di,” and attended the Devon Horse Show and Radnor Hunt. Her love of travel took her to numerous states and countries, along with annual spring trips to Williamsburg, Virginia, and summers spent in Cape May.

Emily was preceded in death by her husband, Harry Walker, and her beloved son, Bill Gallo Jr., a South Jersey journalist, who passed away in 2018.

She is survived by her children, Carol Jess (Scott), Larry Chard (Shirley), and Adele Walker Chandler (Neil); her grandchildren, Donna Jess, Karen Jess Avis, Addison Chandler and Mason Chandler; and her great-grandchildren Carmen Santiago and Sofia Santiago.

Emily will be remembered for her fiercely independent spirit, her mischievous sense of fun, and her ability to strike up a conversation wherever life took her. She leaves behind countless stories, treasured memories, and a family who will miss her dearly.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made in Emily’s memory to The Catholic Community of the Holy Spirit, 17 Earlington Avenue, Mullica Hill, NJ 08062.