AMERICAN HOMES INVESTMENTS

The late Dr. Leroy (Joker) Walker attended Winston Churchill High School in Lethbridge, Brigham Young University and University of Montana. He and his wife, Karen, met at BYU and moved to Cardston in 1969. Joker taught Physical Education and Math at Cardston High School (CHS) from 1969 – 1978. He was Vice Principal of CHS from 1978-1983, Principal from 1983 – 2000, Deputy Superintendent of Westwind School Division from 2000-2003 and Superintendent from 2003 until the time of his passing.

Joker devoted his career to education and demonstrated his love of learning by facilitating a program for other educators to earn their doctorate degrees in education.

Professionally, Joker participated in numerous sports and administrative activities throughout Alberta, with heavy involvement in the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association, the Southwest Zone ASAA and the Alberta Sports Council. Joker introduced high school football to Cardston in 1970 and served as head coach of the Cougars for 30 years. The Cardston football team was named provincial champions in 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993. Joker was the driving force behind the development of the track and football facilities in Cardston. He and his father were honoured when the town named “Walker Field” after them.

Joker has received many honours for his work over the years including: the Alberta Recreation Energize Award; the Intersport Volunteer Recognition Award; induction into the Cardston Sports Hall of Fame as a Builder and Coach; Football Alberta’s Rural Coach of the Year Award; and the prestigious Routledge Award.

Most recently, Joker was serving as a Cardston Town Counselor. As a member of the Golf Committee he spent countless volunteer hours at the golf course. He served as chairman of the town Recreation Board and the Cardston Director of the Southern Alberta Summer Games.

Dr. Walker has left a legacy of capable and determined people at all levels of high school athletics. He has invested time and energy to create a culture of greatness. The potential of others was always at the heart of his service and is his most significant enduring legacy.

Henry Somerset, 1st Duke of Beaufort, KG, PC (1629 – 21 January 1699/1700) was an English peer. He was styled Lord Herbert from 1646 until 3 April 1667, when he succeeded his father as 3rd Marquess of Worcester.

The new English dukedom was bestowed upon him by King Charles II on 2 December 1682, in recognition of his "having been eminently serviceable for the king since his most happy restoration, in consideration thereof and of his most noble descent from King Edward III by John de Beaufort, eldest son of John of Gaunt by Katherine Swynford"[1].

Beaufort was invested as a Knight of the Garter in 1672; on 22 April 1679 he became a Privy Councillor; and he held the office of Lord President of Wales.

Beaufort later refused to swear allegiance to King William III.

On 17 August 1657, he married Mary Capell, who was the daughter of Arthur Capell, 1st Baron Capell of Hadham, sister of Arthur Capell, 1st Earl of Essex, and widow of Henry Seymour, Lord Beauchamp. They had three sons and four daughters. The sons were:

* Henry Somerset, Lord Herbert, who died as an infant;
* Charles Somerset, Marquess of Worcester (December 1660 – 13 July 1698), who had a military and political career;
* Lord Arthur Somerset.

Three of the daughters were:

* Lady Mary Somerset, Lady of the Bedchamber, who was married to James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde as his second wife, and became the mother of one son and two daughters;
* Lady Henrietta Somerset, who was married twice, to Henry Horatio O'Brien, Lord O'Brien, with whom she had one son, the 8th Earl of Thomond, and three daughters, and to Henry Howard, 6th Earl of Suffolk as his second wife;
* Lady Anne Somerset, who married Thomas Coventry, 2nd Earl of Coventry, and became the mother of one son.

The fourth daughter — bearing an unknown name — might have died young.

Beaufort's son Charles died before he could inherit the dukedom, so on the duke's death it passed to Charles's son Henry.