LORMAN — The Celebration of Life services for Alcorn State University alumnus and former assistant men’s basketball coach Lonnie Walker are scheduled for Saturday in Lorman.

Walker’s viewing will be held Saturday from 2-6 p.m. at Waterloo Baptist Church, located on Hwy 552 in Lorman. The Home Going Celebration is scheduled for noon Sunday at the Davey L. Whitney Health and Physical Education Complex on Alcorn’s campus. Craft Funeral Home in McComb is officiating the services.

Friends of Walker remember him for his passion for not only building stellar student-athletes but also inspiring those students to be productive citizens after they graduated. Emmanuel Barnes Sr., retired vice president of Student Affairs and longtime friend, said that Walker loved mentoring and cheering on his students in their achievements on and off the court.

“Lonnie and I were friends for a long time, and I know that he enjoyed watching his students come in and develop into good players,” Barnes said. “Also, he enjoyed watching them go out and become good, mature citizens. He enjoyed playing a role in the students’ progress on and off the court. He lived a full life, so he enjoyed watching his students go out and live full lives as well.”

Former assistant football coach Lonnie “Butch” Jones, who also shared a bond with Walker, spoke about his work ethic and fun-loving personality.

“Coach Walker was a dedicated and hard-working individual,” Jones said. “We spent a lifetime working together at Alcorn and developed fond memories of our time as friends and co-workers. He was a good-natured guy who was fun to be around. We were close, and I’m going to miss him.”