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Ms. Head Walton represented parts of north Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ County from 2000 to 2008. She chaired the business and finance committee for the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, served as president of the National Order of Women Legislators, and was Democratic committeewoman of Ferguson Township.

She was also a founding member of the Black Women’s Political Action Coalition, an organization aimed at increasing the political influence of women at all levels of elected office.

In a varied career outside politics, Ms. Head Walton was a licensed real estate agent, and worked as a flight attendant for TWA, a trainer for Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ Community College, and an instructor at Alabama State University. She was the former director of the Grace Hill Women’s Business Center in Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ, and was president of the Sisters Network, an African-American breast cancer organization in Portland, Ore.

Ms. Head Walton was born May 19, 1954, at Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ County Hospital in Clayton, to John W. and Delores Head. Her father, John, preceded her in death. She was the fifth of their eight children. She was a graduate of Kinloch High School, Lincoln University and Lindenwood University, and she attended Washington University. She was divorced from Elbert Walton, an attorney.

She was a member of Coleman-Wright CME Church before moving and joining Highland Christian Church in Portland.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Coleman-Wright CME. Church, 9777 New Halls Ferry Road in Jennings.

Her survivors include her husband, Roy Jay of Portland; her mother, Delores Head; her sons, Elbert Walton III of Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ and Capt. Johnathan Walton of the Army National Guard; and seven siblings, Evelyn Head, Joyce Martin, John Head, Charles Head and Sharon Gill, all of Ó£ÌÒÊÓƵ County, Patricia Johnson of Texas, and Willie Head of Oregon.