Santa Clarita Valley native and pioneer, Melba Walker Fisher, member of the family who owned the Walker Cabin in Placerita Canyon Nature Center, died at 98 years old on New Year’s Day.

Fisher was one of twelve children born on Walker Ranch, said her son, George Starbuck.  Born in 1916, she would have been 99 years old on July 2.

The Walker family built the first homestead in Placerita Canyon.

The remains of the family’s first home, which burned down in 1918, can be found in the Golden Valley Open Space, while the preserved “summer cabin” can be found at the Placerita Canyon Nature Center.

Below is Fisher’s obituary, written by her family.

The Passing Of A Pioneer, written by George Starbuck, Gayle Starbuck and Walt Fisher, originally posted to the Santa Clarita History Buffs Facebook page

On Jan. 1, 2015, Melba Walker Fisher passed away peacefully in her 99th year. Our mother came into this world July 2, 1916 in the Walker Cabin, still standing at the Placerita Nature Center. The sixth of twelve children born to Frank and Hortence Walker, she grew up tending the animals and gardens on the Walker Ranch.

There were many other duties the siblings were tasked to do. Frank Walker had many projects requiring hard manual labor; mining, road building, maintaining a constant water supply, milking the cows, preparing chickens for the Sunday dinner and a host of other responsibilities.

Pictured from left to right: Melba, Francis and Irene Walker.

The most important of these responsibilities was tending to the younger brothers and sisters. Our mother learned the important lessons of raising her own children. The first of these children were George & Gayle Starbuck while married to George Starbuck Sr.

Her second marriage was to rancher Walter Fisher. She had two more children, Walt Jr. and Gay Rose. Her children produced a large family of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great -grandchildren. Needless to say, our family gatherings were full of joy and fine food. Our mother was a wonderful cook and baked some beautiful cakes and pies. Mom was an avid gardener, loved music and flew the American Flag from the front of the house on 8th Street in Newhall.

Mom was very active in her later years volunteering at the Senior Center. She was well known as the lady who walked through town visiting and having breakfast at the Way Station. She was also the subject of many interviews on the history of the Santa Clarita Valley. Much more of the story can be found on the Santa Clarita History website.

Our mother will be laid to rest at Eternal Valley Jan. 8 at 11 a.m. followed by a memorial at noon to be held at the place of her birth, the Walker Cabin at the Placerita Canyon Nature Center.

Photos, information and obituary courtesy of the Starbuck, Fisher, Walker families and SCV History. For more information about Santa Clarita’s history and the Walker Ranch, visit SCV History or the Walker Family Facebook page.