His father worked for the Erie Railroad and the family moved several times, settling in Cleveland, Ohio, when Walker was in his teens.
He began his professional career as an illustrator for department store advertising, initially as a student in Los Angeles and then as an independent in Cleveland.
In 1929 the stock market crash spelled the end for many companies, including Graham-Paige, and Walker went looking for work.
This job led to contact with József Galamb, the primary designer for Ford Motor Company.
Walker's career also included industrial design for clocks, bread boxes, chemistry sets, bicycles, and roller skates, among other products.