Teresa Ann Walker

Teresa Walker, daughter of Joseph Regan and Mary Margaret Regan (Stanton), moved from Los Angeles to Northern California to study Mathematics at UC Berkeley. There she met and married her late husband, Redick Walker (Tiddy) of Burlingame, California and is survived by her seven children: John (Jack) Walker, Laura Brandt, William (Bill) Walker, Daniel (Dan) Walker, Stephen (Steve) Walker, Thomas (Tom) Walker and Carol Palacio; her twelve grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

In the 1970s she was co-founder and president of AMI which later became NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). She worked tirelessly for many years to stamp out the stigma associated with Mental Illness and to help many families who had members suffering from schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder and other mental health diseases.

Teresa was a long-time parishioner of St. Charles Church in San Carlos where she was involved in the Carlosians and the Outreach Committee. She was deeply spiritual, often reading the works of Teilhard de Chardin and other religious scholars. In her later years she was also a parishioner of St. Bart’s Parish in San Mateo. Although she identified as Catholic, she was also proud of her Quaker heritage and relations who were active in the abolitionist and women’s suffrage movements.

Teresa was a very dedicated wife and mother who loved all of her family deeply and unconditionally. She was proud of the accomplishments of all of her children, in-laws and grandchildren, and always strived to love and appreciate all people as uniquely individual and special.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 12:00 noon on Saturday, September 16, 2017 at St. Bartholomew Church, Alameda de las Pulgas & Crystal Springs Blvd. reception to follow at Poplar Creek Grill, Bay Trail in San Mateo. Flowers or Cards may be sent to Carol Palacio, 732 N Humboldt St., San Mateo, CA 94401. Donations made in Teresa’s memory to NAMI San Mateo County, 1650 Borel Place #130, San Mateo, CA 94402 or namisanmateo.org will be graciously appreciated.