Kenneth Poe Funeral Services

May 16, 2025

Frank Walker Lockett, Jr. died peacefully at home on May 16, 2025 following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born in Louisville, KY to Frank Walker Lockett and Lee Elkin Lockett. After his father’s early death, his mother remarried Erwin Goode Walker and he gained two sisters, Lambeth and Ellen Walker. The new family lived in Greensboro, NC, and later Summit, NJ, where Walker graduated Cum Laude from The Pingry School.  He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE), The Order of Gimghoul, and played on the Varsity Men’s Tennis Team. He received The Order of the Grail Excellence Award for Athletics as the senior varsity athlete with the highest GPA.

Walker began his family while still in college, raising his daughters Sherron, Lynne and Katie while living in NYC, Charlotte, Greensboro, and Texas, with many happy times spent at horse shows, Cape Hatteras, and with the extended Lambeth family.

In 1985, Walker married Suzanne “Shug” Crist of Charlotte. The couple had a two-year “honeymoon” adventure in Hong Kong, exploring China and southeast Asia, and hosting visitors from the states. Their son, John Walker Lockett was born when they returned to the US.

A career banker, Walker began with Chase Manhattan Bank in New York and spent many years with North Carolina National Bank (today Bank of America) where his positions included Senior Vice-President, Chief Credit Policy Officer, Charlotte City Executive, US Banking Group Executive, and Managing Director of NCNB’s Hong Kong office. He became President of Louisiana National Bank (LNB) and President of Premier Bancorp. He retired in 1998 as President of Bank One Louisiana Corp.

Walker’s service in multiple civic organizations included membership in Charlotte, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans Chambers of Commerce, the United Way Board in Charlotte and New Orleans, the Salvation Army Board in Charlotte, and Chairman of the Board of the Audubon Institute in New Orleans. He was a member of Christ Episcopal Church in Charlotte, the Charlotte Country Club, and the Linville Golf Club.

Throughout his life, Walker was an enthusiastic fan and gifted tennis player. He was the 1953 NC State Boys Division singles champion and ranked in the top ten singles and doubles Junior Division of the Eastern U.S. Lawn Tennis Association. At UNC, he was a member of three ACC championship teams, and afterwards, continued to be active in local and regional tournaments, serving on the Board of Directors of the Olde Providence Racquet and Swim Club. 

An avid reader and gentle philosopher, Walker always had a historical or adventure book nearby and was a self-declared fan of “all things banjo, from bluegrass to classical.” Walker was fascinated by other countries and cultures, and he and Shug traveled throughout Europe often. Still, his happiest times were spent at the family beach cottage, “Pitter-Patter”, in Seaside, FL, and summers in Linville among dear friends of all ages. On the porch or at a party, Walker was a reliable quiet presence and conversationalist, with extensive knowledge on many topics. He was devoted to Shug, to his children, and to anyone lucky enough to count him as a friend. In any definition of the term, Walker was a gentleman to his core.

Walker is survived by his wife of 40 years, Suzanne Crist Lockett, their son John Walker Lockett (Alix), Alexandria, VA; his daughters Sherron L. Jones (Robert), Lancaster, SC; Lynne L. Tucker (Peter), River Hills, SC; Kate L. Briggmann, Sanford, FL. He is also survived by grandchildren Bolden Lee Walters, Charlotte NC; Caroline Joy Briggmann, Sanford, FL; sister Lambeth Walker Marshall (John), Waxhaw, NC, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his father, mother, stepfather and sister Ellen.

The family wishes to thank Home Instead and VIA Heather partners for their considerate and loving care.

A memorial service will be held at Christ Episcopal Church, Charlotte, NC on Saturday, May 31, 2025 at 1:00 pm.  The family will receive friends in the Blue Room following the service. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Pingry School, 131 Martinsville Rd, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920; or Christ Episcopal Church, 1412 Providence Road, Charlotte, NC 28211.

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606. Online condolences may be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.