Obituary of Bale Taginoa Walker

Bale Taginoa Walker, 67, of Niles, Michigan passed away unexpectedly at Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Indiana on Wednesday, May 8, 2019.

Bale Iwai Taginoa began her mortal life in Vulaga Fiji as the child of Tevita Koto and Repeka Jiko. During her time growing up, she had many examples she would model her life after and truly learned what it meant to serve others. Being raised by her grandparents (which included the village chief) and many extended family members, Bale was never short on family members around her.

Bale always excelled in school and at a young age, moved to Viti Levu to further her studies in the capital city of Suva. From there, she would be recruited to work and share her culture at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie, Hawaii while attending Brigham Young University – Hawaii Campus. At school, she also participated in 2 USO tours as part of Showcase Hawaii that took her to such places as Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Korea, and Diego Garcia.

While at BYU-Hawaii, Bale decided to settle down after she met the love of her life, John Richard Walker and they were engaged after 2 weeks of dating. On February 19, 1977, John and Bale were married for time and all eternity in the Los Angeles California Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Bale loved to be at home raising her five children where family always came first in her life. Whether it was a sporting event for her son, a performance for her daughter, or anything involving her grandchildren, Bale made a point to travel all over to be with her family. She will be remembered as a charitable disciple of Christ and was always passionate about helping those who were in need both near and far.  She showered those around her with the same selfless love she knew Christ would.

Over the past decade, Bale was inspired to focus on assisting those in her home country of Fiji through many humanitarian and volunteer efforts. She was also a skilled seamstress, a student of Polynesian culture, and always dancing and performing. Bale lived as a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her grandchild, Robert Higginbotham.

Bale is survived by her husband, John R. Walker of Niles; children, John F.C. (Valencia) Walker of Fort Smith, Arkansas, Fipe (Robert) Higginbotham of Eagle Mountain, Utah, Richard (Delta) Walker of Chicago, Illinois, Nathan (Diane) Walker of Midlothian, Virginia, and Elizabeth (Ikaika) Woolsey of Saratoga Springs, Utah; nineteen grandchildren.

Services to honor Bale’s life will be Saturday, May 18, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. with visitation beginning at 8:00 a.m. at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1409 Niles Buchanan Road, Niles.