Howard Kent Walker

Howard Kent Walker
Howard Kent Walker
	Howard Kent Walker (r.) and Ronald Reagan in 1982
9th United States Ambassador to Togo
	In office; March 9, 1982 – June 9, 1984
President	Ronald Reagan
Preceded by	Marilyn P. Johnson
Succeeded by	Owen W. Roberts
9th United States Ambassador to Madagascar
	In office; September 27, 1989 – July 12, 1992
President	George H. W. Bush
Preceded by	Patricia Lynch Ewell
Succeeded by	Dennis P. Barrett
9th United States Ambassador to the Comoros
	In office; October 25, 1989 – September 24, 1990
President	George H. W. Bush
Preceded by	Patricia Gates Lynch
Succeeded by	Kenneth N. Peltier
Personal details
Born	December 3, 1935; Newport News, Virginia, U.S.
Died	February 19, 2025 (aged 89); Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.
Spouse	Terry (Taylor) Walker
Education	University of Michigan
Profession	Diplomat
Military service
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1962–65
Rank	First lieutenant

Howard Kent Walker (December 3, 1935 – February 19, 2025) was an American diplomat and foreign service officer who served as United States Ambassador to Togo, Madagascar, and the Comoros.^[1]

Early life and education

Walker was born on December 3, 1935, in Newport News, Virginia. He graduated from the University of Michigan with an A.B. in 1957 and M.A. in 1958. He enrolled in the United States Air Force as first lieutenant from 1962 to 65. He graduated from Boston University with a Ph.D. in 1968. He was married, had two children, two grandchildren, and resided in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Political career

Walker joined the U.S. Department of State and was assigned as a research analyst from 1965 to 1968 and international relations officer of the Office of Inter-African Affairs and principal officer in Kaduna, from 1971 to 1973. From 1973 to 1975 he was in the Department as international relations officer of the Office of West African Affairs. He was counselor for political affairs in Amman, Jordan from 1975 to 1977, Deputy Chief of Mission in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from 1977 to 1979, and in 1979, Deputy Chief of Mission in Pretoria, South Africa. In 1982 he became the United States Ambassador to Togo, replacing Marilyn P. Johnson. He left in 1984. ^[2]

Walker died on February 19, 2025, in Bethesda, Maryland, at the age of 89.^[3]