Emma Louise DeBra Walton of Danville, IN died on June 15, 2026, at the age of 102.  She was born in Danville, IN on May 3, 1924, to Rupert Samuel and Iva Mae (Kennedy) DeBra.

During her youth she was active in Girl Scouts and earned money by baking angel food cakes by hand.  She knitted hats, socks and sweaters for the Red Cross to send to British children during WWII.  She was a member of Danville Episcopal Methodist Church and attended the Danville Friends Church.  She graduated from Danville High School in 1942. Pearl Harbor was attacked in the middle of her senior year.

After graduation, she worked at the Workmen's Compensation Bureau and later at Allison's Transmission from 1942-1944.  She attended Central Normal College in Danville from 1944 – 1946, and she was a counselor at the Julia Jameson Nutrition Camp during the summer of 1946.

She married John Robert Walton in a double ceremony with her sister Edna Frances on October 26, 1946.  They were married for 62 years until his death on January 4, 2009. They had five children, 13 grandchildren, many great-grandchildren, and several great-great-grandchildren.

Emma returned to college at Ball State in 1961 and finished a degree in Social Sciences and Home Economics.  She later earned her teaching certificate in 1969. Her goal was to teach in the same school system that her children attended, but unfortunately, there were no openings. In 1965, 10 days before the birth of her fifth child, the family moved from Lapel to Fishers. In the 1960s, '70s, and '80s, she worked at G.C. Murphy's at Glendale mall, Ben Franklin at Keystone Square, and K-Mart in Castleton, often using her extensive knowledge of sewing, knitting, and crafts in the fabric department. Working outside the home forced her to learn to drive in her 40s. She often said she wouldn't mind driving if hers was the only car on the road.

After retirement, she and John delved into genealogy research of both their families. They traveled extensively in the U.S., something she had always wanted to do. They moved to wooded land north of Greencastle in 1985, where they stayed until John's death. They pursued several new interests together and were always learning. At one point, Emma bought an early-version word processor, taught herself how to use it, and retyped her father's newspaper columns to compile them into a book. She bought a binding machine and printed and bound the books for family members. Emma continued living north of Greencastle until 2020, until her health dictated moving to long term care and then memory care at Danville Regional Rehabilitation. She remained there until her death. She continued to knit even in memory care.

Emma is survived by her children, Colinette Peterman, John Walton II (Judy), Charles Walton (Shana), Evelyn Lees (Norman), and Rev. Richard Walton (Trish). She is also survived by her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. Her parents, sister, and husband John preceded her in death.

She will be remembered for her cooking, sewing, knitting, and sense of humor. Her homemade bread and jelly were something to fight over, and her Christmas cookies were shared with many each year. True to her competitive nature, she lived longer than anyone in the family.

Her children wish to thank the staff at Danville Regional Rehabilitation, especially the memory care unit, for their kind and loving care of Emma in her final years.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, June 22, 2026, at Porter and Hunt Funeral Home, 6 S. California Street, in North Salem, Indiana. Visitation from 12:00 noon until the time of services. Interment will follow services at Fairview Cemetery in North Salem.