ST. LOUIS — Cora Faith Walker, the chief policy officer in St. Louis County and former state representative, has died at age 37.
Walker, of Ferguson, was elected to the Missouri House in 2016 and represented the 74th District — which includes Florissant, Ferguson, Calverton Park, Country Club Hills, Dellwood, and Jennings.
She resigned in 2019 and went on to serve as St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page’s policy chief.
Page described Walker as a “passionate public servant” and offered his condolences to her family in a statement released Friday.
I am deeply saddened by the passing of Cora Faith Walker. Cora walked into my office every day with a hundred ideas and the determination to do them. She was a passionate public servant who advocated for women, newborns, survivors of sexual violence, reproductive rights, seniors, and frontline healthcare workers. She will be greatly missed by her St. Louis County government colleagues and me. We offer our condolences to her husband, Tim, and her parents.
St. Louis County Executive Sam Page
St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones also released a statement and called Walker “a powerful advocate for her community.”
We in the office of Mayor Tishaura O. Jones are deeply saddened and shocked by the sudden loss of Cora Faith Walker. She was a fixture in the St. Louis region, a powerful advocate for her community, and a fiercely loyal friend to all who knew and loved her, especially to Mayor Jones. We extend our deepest condolences to her family and colleagues.
St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones
Walker was also a licensed attorney who worked on issues like Medicaid expansion and health reform. Her work as a legislator earned her several awards, including the Washington University Brown School’s Distinguished Alumni Award, Missouri Primary Care Association Legislator of the Year Award, and NARAL Pro-Choice America Rising Star Award.
