Staff at the Rocky Medical Clinic are mourning the sudden loss of Dr. Sarah Walton who, along with her mother Lucy, were killed in a highway crash south of Eckville on April 28. (Screen shot from YouTube/Rural Health Professionals Action Plan)

By Jordan Rein

Community Grieving

‘A light in the community’: Dr. Sarah Walton and her mother Lucy killed in crash near Eckville

Apr 30, 2025 | 12:37 PM

Dr. Sarah Walton, a beloved local physician-in-training, and her mother, Lucy Walton, have been identified as the two Rocky Mountain House women killed in a crash west of Sylvan Lake on Monday.

The Rocky Medical Clinic confirmed the deaths to Pattison Media on Wednesday, saying the loss has left staff heartbroken and devastated.

“Growing up in our community, she touched the hearts of many with her warmth, compassion, and unwavering joy,” said Dr. Dewet Dowling in a statement on behalf of the clinic.

Sarah Walton, 29, had returned to her hometown of Rocky Mountain House as part of a rural family medicine residency and was on track to pursue a career in emergency medicine. Before entering medical school in Calgary, she worked as a registered nurse at the Rocky Mountain House Health Centre and was widely respected by colleagues and patients alike.

Sarah was previously recognized by the Rural Health Professions Action Plan (RhPAP) in 2021 for her commitment to returning to Rocky Mountain House to serve. In an RhPAP profile, she spoke of her passion and long-term commitment to rural care and the importance of giving back to the community that shaped her.

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The crash occurred Monday April 28 at approximately 2:13 p.m. on Highway 11 at Range Road 35 southwest of Eckville. According to RCMP, two women were pronounced dead at the scene. Two people from a pickup truck involved in the collision were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Officials from the Rocky Health Clinic confirm the other, 58-year-old occupant was Lucy Walton, Sarah’s mother.

“We will remember [Sarah’s] kindness and the light she brought into the lives of her patients and coworkers,” Dowling’s statement said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Walton family during this difficult time.”

RCMP say the cause of the crash remains under investigation.

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