HOT SPRINGS – K Eugene Walker was born in the Canyon Cottages on the grounds of the State Soldier’s Home (now known as the State Veteran’s Home) in July 1933 and now is a resident.
“My mother worked up here as a dining room waitress and in laundry,” said K, “and my father worked in the boiler room and milked 31 head of cattle.”
When his father worked at the home, there were 252 residents.
“But he told me that during the dirty 30s they had 300 just in the old building, they slept ‘em in the hallways on cots and everything else.”
The youngest of three children, K was brought into the world by his mother’s sister who worked at the Lutheran Hospital as a nurse.
His name, K, carried great meaning as it had been his grandfather’s first name as well as his great grandfather’s first name, just the letter K, that’s it. But his mother added Eugene, however he has been called K ever since.
“We have to explain the K a lot,” he said.
Growing up on the state grounds allowed young K to explore, play and work.
“Where Building 1 is (now) used to be the kid’s playground,” explained K, as all employees, with or without children were required to live in housing on the grounds. “I watched them tear that playground down to build the building.”
But the children were not limited to just the playground as the town’s river offered some fun.
“We would go catch bullfrogs in the river,” said K, “and fish too.”
As a teenagers, he and his brother began to help around the facility.
“One time the superintendent had us clean up the facility and the grounds before the inspection from the Board of Charities and Corrections came.”
(The State Veterans Home was overseen by the Board of Charities and Corrections until July 1, 1989.)
“We also helped our dad with the hay for the cows.”
He remembers there being orchards, cows, pigs, chickens, and massive gardens.
“I think it was easier to grow it all back then ‘cause transportation was difficult.”
“The red pickup they have in the parade,” he said, “well, I started driving that brand new in 1955. I used it to move the hay for the cows. Pretty soon the superintendent thought it would be cheaper to bring milk in and said to heck with that and sold the herd but kept the pickup.”
In 1952, during the Korean War, K was called up to Sioux Falls for a physical.
“I returned home and joined up with the National Guard, 109th Engineers in Rapid City and was chauffeur to the Commander,” he said. “I was only in for 2 months because I had flat feet, I was honorably discharged.”
About the time he was discharged, his brother, who had also enlisted, was shipped to Germany where his company was charged with building bridges and roads.
“I remember telling my brother I had been discharged for flat feet and he said to me, ‘that’s crazy we got guards in here with wooden legs,” laughed K.
After his discharge, K gained employment at the State Home, carrying on a family tradition.
While hired as the activity’s director, he continued to add more duties to his evergrowing list.
“I was head of all the recreation, I attended them, and scheduled the members in. I also was head of the volunteers, all 140 of them, I kept their records and hours they worked. And I worked in the post office, I delivered The (Hot Springs) Star to every member, sometimes 2 each.”
Just 7 years in, he added yet another duty.
“I drove the State Home ambulance for 36 years,” he said. “I was on 24-hour call, 7 days a week driving the ambulance.”
While working all these jobs, on one fateful day, he met the love of his life, Lena.
All employees at that time were required to wear white uniforms, the State Home furnished them and laundered them.
“One day she came to the State Home, I was running the commissary for a guy who was on vacation, and she asked where the uniforms were and we started hitting it off and been married ever since.”
Eugene and Lena were married July 31, 1960.
The couple moved into a home located where the new building was built and were provided with housing, water, fuel and gas.
While K has lived his entire life on the grounds, Lena has lived all but her first 18 years there.
“I worked for nine superintendents and three interim. I worked 43 years for the state and ran the post office for 42 years,” said K.
Lena worked at the State Home for 37 years.
“At the post office, he was a good listener he would say, ‘yeah’ and ‘uh huh,’ as people kept talking,” said Lena.
K remembers when the home was hopping.
“In the women’s building, which never should have been torn down, there was a huge auditorium twice the size of the one here, with a projection room for movies, a stage for a band and dancing. We had dance bands Fridays for forever.”
He also ran the projector playing big screen movies for the members, as he was also skilled in that profession since he was once the projectionist at the local theater from 1949-1959.
“My favorite movie was The Greatest Show on Earth.”
K retired at 62. “I had over 2,000 hours of sick time and over 800 hours of annual leave all accrued,” said K, which he was paid for upon retirement, “I also got a longevity check. They had a big party for me when I retired; 200 people.”
Not one to sit still, K began working for the local funeral home taking the bodies of veterans to the Black Hills Cemetery.
“They told me, since I had an honorable discharge, I was eligible to be buried there.”
After raising five children and seeing a need to slow down, the couple moved into the home in April.
While the couple has only been residents for less than one month, they are enjoying the facility.
“We are still trying to find locations,” said K. “We finally found our way down to the post office and the auditorium, everything is nice” “I guess I gotta thank the good Lord for keeping me as long as He has,” said K. “The bottom line is I was born here and looks like I will probably die here.”
“It’s been our home our whole lives,” said Lena.
K has a philosophy for life: “Just take it as it comes and just live with it.”
This coming July 2026 will be a big year for both the Walkers, as K will be 93 and the couple will be celebrating their 66th wedding anniversary.