Funeral Services for Judge Austin Thomas Walden, Wednesday, July 7, 1965, 1:00pm, Wheat Street Baptist Church, Rev. William Holmes Borders, Pastor, Atlanta, Georgia

ACTIVE PALLBEARERS

Warren R. Cochrane Leroy R. Johnson I. H. Butts Walter Searcy

Horace T. Ward W. J. Weems F. W. Thomas R. E. Thomas, Jr.

HONORA Y PALLBEARERS

Gate City Bar Association L. D. Milton C. R. Yates J. B. Blayton, Sr. E. M. Martin W. L. Calloway

T. M. Alexander, Sr. Clarence [), Coleman Dr. Miles G. Amos C. A. Bacote W. H. Aiken Q. V. Williamson

HONO ARY ESCORT

Deacons and Trustees, Wheat Street Baptist Church The Judiciary:
Fulton Superior Court Civil Court of Fulton County City Court Atlanta Bar Mrs. Geneva Haugabrooks, Courts of Calanthe Grand Master Clem Davenport, F. and A. A. Y. Masons .Representatives of Organizations: N.A.A.C.P. National Democratht Committee Fulton County Citizens Democratic Club' Fulton County Democratic Party Organization Sigma Pi Phi Boule P. J. Bryant Bible Class Alumni of Atlanta University Boards of: Butler Street Y.iM.C.A. Phyllis Wheatley Y.W.C.A. Carrie Steele Pitts Home Citizens Trust Company Consolidated Mortgage and Investment Company Mutual Federal Savings and Loan Association Urban League

FI.IOWER BEARERS

Members of the P. J. Bryant Bible Class, Wheat Street Baptist Church Wives of the Members of Gate City Bar Association

USHERS

Members of Gate City Bar Association and Ushers of Wheat Street Baptist Church

HAUGABROOKS FUNERAL HOME Officiating

POLICE ESCORT

FUN E RAL S ERVICES FOR
judgr austin 11Chomas ~aldm
WEDNESDAY, J ULY 7, 1965, 1:00 P.M.
Wheat Street Baptist Church
Rev. William Holmes Borders, Pastor Atlanta, Georgia

OBITUARY

AUSTIN THOMAS WALDEN was born April 12, 1885 to Jeff Walden

and Jennie Tomlin Walden, near Fort Valley, Houston County, Georgia.

At an early age he had a zeal for learning, a will to become educated,

and the determination to be a lawyer. Therefore, after finishing the public

schools of Fort Valley, he received an A.B. degree from Atlanta Uni-

versity in 1907 and the LL.B. degree from the School of Law, University

of Michigan in 1911.

Mr. Walden began the practice of law in Macon, Georgia in 1912 only

to have it interrupted in June, 1917 when he entered the Army during

World War I. He served his country with distinction as a Captain of

Infantry, commanding Company I, 365th Infantry. Prior to being separat-

ed from the service in February, 1919', he also served .as a Trial Judge

Advocate of the 9'2nd 'Division.

_

On May 18, 1918, Mr. Walden married a Baltimore public school

teacher, Miss Mary Ellen Denney, whom he had known while in attend-

ance at Atlanta University. To this union were !born two daughters, Mrs.

Jenelsie W. Holloway of Atlanta, Georgia, and Mrs. Austella W. Colley of

Chicago, Ill., both of whom are graduates of Spelman College and the

'Chicago Art Institute, with the A.B. and Master of Fine Arts degrees,

respectively.

In addition to a long and distinguished career as a lawyer and Muni-

cipal Judge, (over 50 years) Mr. Walden engaged in many business, pro-

fessional, civic and political activities. Not only did he serve as President

of Citizens Trust Company for seven years, he also served as General

Counsel for the Company for twenty years. He was one of the founders

and the first and only President of Consolidated Mortgage Investment

Company. His business activities included serving as: a Director and

Associate Counsel of Mutual Federal Savings and Loan Association.

The civic activities of Mr. Wa}den were many and varied. He was

Grand Chancellor, Knights of Pythias of Georgia, Supreme Master of

Exchequer of Supreme Lodge Knights of Pythias (International). For

seventeen years, he served as Chairman of the Executive Board of Butler

Street YMCA and the Atlanta Urban League. He found time to serve as

President of the Atlanta University Alumni Association for twelve years,

President of the Atlanta Branch, NAACP for a similar period, Co-Chair-

man of tthe Atlanta Summit Leadership Conference, a National Vice

President of the NAACP and member of its Legal Committee.

Though he engaged in these many activities, he did not neglect his

church. For forty years, he was Chairman of the Trustee Board of Wheat

Street- Baptist Church. His first love, however, was the Bry~nt Bible

Class w hioh he organized and taught for twenty-five years. For twelve

years he was counsel for the National Baptist Convention, U.S.A.

Mr. Walden knew the importance of association with others of his

profession. He therefore founded and became the first President of the

Gate City Bar Association. Memberships were also held with the National,

American and Atlanta Bar Associations.

During the last twenty-five years of his life, Mr. Walden was an

ardent Democrat. He was active on t he local, state and national levels and

held many important offices. He became a founder and co-chairman of

the Atlanta Negro Voter s League. His election in 1962 to membership on

the State Democratic Committee of Georgia and his appointment by

Governor Carl E. Sanders as a delegate to the Democratic National Con-

vention in 1964 were first s in Georgia for members of his race. Also, his

appointment in 1964 by Mayor Ivan Allen as an Alternate Judge of the

/Municipal Courts of Atlanta was the first such appointment in Georgia

and the South since the days of Reconstruction.

The long and distinguished service to his race and his community

brought Judge Walden great recognition. The late President John F. Ken-

nedy appointed him on the American Battle Monuments Commission. At-

lanta University and Morehouse College awarded him the Honorary De-

grees of LL.D. and L.H.D., respectively. Aw,ards were also received from

the National and Atlanta Urban League, Butler Street YiMCA, Alpha Phi

Alpha Fraternity, the Twenty-Seven Clulb, YMCA Centennial Fund, Phi

Beta Sigma .:Fraternity, Emblem Club, Atlanta University Alumni Asso-

ciation, RADIO 750, and the University of Michigan. His latest a ward was

made during the Atlanta University Centennial Commencement when he

was cited as "One of the ten most outstanding living alumni" of that in-

stitution.

Austin Tihomas Walden departed this life on July 2, 1965. The family,

friends and the community at large mourn the loss of this outstanding

lawyer, judge, statesman, and community leader.

ORDER OF SERVICE
Rev. William Holmes Borders, Presiding
Prelude
Processional
Opening Hymn -------------------------------------------- "How Great Thou Art!"
1st Reading of the Scripture __________________ Rev. Samuel W. Williams
President, Atlanta Branch, N.A.A.C.P., and Pastor, Friendship Baptist Church
Prayer ------------------------------------------------------ Bishop Ernest L. Hickman
Presiding Bishop, Sixth Episcopal District, A.M.iE. Church
2nd Reading of the Scripture -------------------------- Rev. Wm. S.. Mercer
Pastor, Radcliffe Presbyterian Church
Music ---------------------------------------------------- Wheat Street Church Choirs
Mrs. Effie D. Calhoun, Soloist
Two-Minute Tributes and Acknowledgments: Dr. Benjamin E. Mays,
President, Morehouse College
Mr. Louis B. Martin, for President Lyndon B. Johnson for The National Democratic Committee
Mayor Ivan Allen, Jr., for City of Atlanta Atty. J. C. Daugherty, for Gate City Bar Association President Rufus E. Clement, for Atlanta University Mr. A. G. Gaston, for the Knights of Pythias
Music -------------------------------------------------------------------- Atlanta University Obituary ------- ---------------- --------------------~------ Atty. Donald L. Hollowell
Eulogy ------------------------------------------------ Rev. William Holmes Borders
Benediction ______ ------------------------------------------------ Rev. M. L. King, Sr.
Co-Pastor, Ebenezer Baptist Church
Recessional
-IntermentLincoln Memorial Park Cemetery