Dr. Bobbie L Walden

Dr. Bobbie Walden died Thursday, January 12, 2023 peacefully at home, surrounded by her loving husband and son. Today Bobbie is not hurting; she’s walking the streets of gold and singing with the angels. A celebration of her life will be held at Rainbow City First Methodist Church on Monday, January 16, 2023 at 11:00 a.m., with visitation at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be at Rainbow Memorial Gardens after the services. Reverend Dee Dowdy will officiate; Collier-Butler Funeral Home will direct the arrangements. While the family will receive flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Rainbow City First Methodist Church, 3208 Rainbow Dr., Rainbow City, AL 35906

Bobbie was born in Tuscaloosa, AL. She joined Calvary Baptist Church when she was 10 years old and was the only teenager to sing in the Chancel Choir. She was member of the Rainbow City First Methodist Church, Rainbow City, AL, serving on most of the committees and was a soloist in the choir.

She graduated from Tuscaloosa High School and Judson College. In 2005 she received Judson’s highest honor, the Doctor of Humane Letters and was selected as the Alumni of the year. She received her Masters and Doctoral degrees of Education from Auburn University and received the Lyndon Baine Johnson award as the outstanding Graduate Student.

Bobbie began her career teaching in Birmingham, AL and Panama City, FL, public schools. Later, she became Coordinator of Community Education, Huntsville, AL. This program was selected by the US Department of Education as the most innovative program in the US.

She ended her career at the Alabama State Department of Education as the State Coordinator of Community Education. She was President of the International Association of Adult and Community Education. She was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to the National Adult Education Advisory Board. In 1996 she was inducted into the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame.

She was a member of the Gadsden Civitan Club. She was a distinguished president of two clubs and District Governor. She was elected President of Civitan International and traveled all over the world. She was a master club builder, assisting in building seven clubs and recruiting over 200 members. She was named 3 times International Fellow, Shrockshire International Research in Junior Civitan. She was made an honorary Canadian. She proudly won two International Honor Keys, Civitan’s highest award.

Bobbie was a member of the Gadsden Woman’s Club and past president of the Antiquarian Society of Gadsden.

She was preceded by her parents, Robert & Ida Mae Causey, step dad Marvin Holmes, and son-in-law, Richard Kendrick.

Bobbie is survived by her husband Bob. They worked, traveled and played together for 50 years. Of all her accomplishments, her son Dennis (Allida) Griffin was the greatest and her daughter Olivia Kendrick who sacrificed so much to help take care of her, her sister Sue Beavers, her granddaughters Stephanie (Tommy) Moomau and Amanda (John) Payne and her great granddaughter Allida “Ada” Leigh Moomau.

Pallbearers will be Gerry Cagle, Jim Douthit, Larry Etchison, Dennis Henderson, Jimmy Owens, and David Usry. Honorary pallbearers will be Larry Hawkins and Ray Hutchison.

The family will ever be grateful for the wonderful caregivers, who soon became family members, who cared for Bobbie during the last six months of her life: Sherry Arrington, Brandi Howard, Georgia Howard, Jackie Hughes, and Joann Thompson; her nurse Amber Peoples; and Dr. Dwight Harper.