Walker was born in Fairbanks , Alaska , and raised in the small , rural interior city of Delta Junction and the port of Valdez on Prince William Sound . He was the fourth child of Alaskan pioneers Frances ( Park ) and Ed Walker . During World War II , Ed was an Alaskan Scout with Castner 's Cutthroats in the Aleutian Islands and Frances worked on the Alaska-Canadian Highway . During the 1964 Alaska earthquake , which severely damaged Valdez , the family lost most of their personal and business possessions . At the age of 12 , Walker became a janitor to help his family . Walker worked in his family 's construction business as a carpenter , laborer , and teamster on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline , which helped him pay for his education
1964 Alaska earthquake
1964 Alaska earthquake
Bill Walker (American politician)