Storke Funeral Home Obituaries

Col. Richard Walsh passed away at his home on February 8th 2023 with his wife-Lin & daughter-Deanna at his bedside after a long illness. Born Sept. 22, 1944 and spent his early years in Clinton area of N.Y. City, known then as Hell’s Kitchen, before moving to Parlin, N. J. with his family. He graduated from Seton Hall College in 1966 and was commissioned in the Regular Army as 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Signal Corps.

While Rich attended the Signal Officer’s Basic Course at Ft. Gordon, Ga. he met his future wife & married 1 yr. later—Linda Elliott. After the basic course he went on to the Army’s Airborne & Ranger School. Rich served in the 2nd Battalion 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, in the Republic of Vietnam throughout 1968. Later in life he commanded the 9th Signal Battalion at Ft. Lewis, WA. 1985-1987. He had(in later times) said that of all of his commands, this was the most out-standing group of officers & NCO’s he ever worked with and it had made him a better person for it and his wife. Rich also commanded the 93rd Signal Brigade, 7th Corps during Desert Storm in 1991. Although he was too modest to ever mention it, Rich was decorated for both bravery & merit during his combat assignments. Col. Walsh earned his degrees: B.S..at Seton Hall College: Master’s at Lehigh University; Distinguished Graduate of U.S. Army C.&G.S.C.; and the Army War College. Graduate of the National & International Security Studies Program at the John F. Kennedy of Government at Harvard University. He retired from U.S. Army in 1995.
He started out as a private consultant that would support the U. S. military then joined a few companies for several yrs. such as CSC, KEI, DynCorp supporting the U.S. Military and again traveling to combat zones in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq. The troops he loved and the travel he did not mind. He also worked with Gen. Peter Kind and his team to build and operate the White House Y2K Information Coordination Center together and share critical infrastructure information for cities, states, 37 Federal Government agencies and 155 nation’s during the Year 2000 Millennium Rollover. Rich was the “White Knight” of the team, coordinating and working with all collegially government and commercial activities since then. His last job was Able Forces, a non profit organization that was to hire veterans that suffered disabilities in combat and give them meaningful jobs working for military customers. Rich was a member of the board of directors and part of the management team.

Travel was Rich Walsh’s passion in life. He visited every continent on the globe with the exception of Antarctica in his 78 years. His favorite place on earth was the alpine valley of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Germany where he took his family as often as he could. If travel was Rich’s passion in life; family was his love. Rich always said his wife of 55 years was named Linda but he mostly referred to as Lin. Together he and Lin built a family that surrounded and supported each other. Rich was a deeply loving father to his children Timothy and Deanna. He pushed them to be strong, ethical, and patriotic. More importantly when life sent them challenges he held them up. Above all Richard Walsh was a “girl daddy”. The same quiet love and strength of character that made him a valorous soldier and trusted friend impressed upon his daughter and granddaughters what right looked like in a man. It also left his family laughing at how quickly his daughter, granddaughters and great granddaughters could twist a 6 foot 4 inch, 230 pound, Army Airborne Ranger Colonel around their little fingers.

Although his family grieves the passing of Col. Richard Walsh we know he is with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. All is right in heaven, but the earth has less strength, less courage and less love in it with his passing. Rich Walsh was preceded in death by his father, Matthew Walsh, his mother Rita Walsh and his son Timothy Elliott Walsh. He is survived by his wife Linda E. Walsh of Fairfax, Virginia, his daughter, Deanna (Walsh) Yost, and Lt. Col. (ret) David Yost of Fredericksburg, Virginia. Grandchildren Emily and Sarah Yost; Sergeant Michael P. Yost, US Army, and Daughter-in-Law, Jessica Yost, his great granddaughters—Luna & Zoe. His sister, Margaret (Peggy) Cerrachio, of Parlin, N.J, and his brother, Matt R. Walsh & sister-in-law Marty Walsh, of Red Bank, N.J. & Niece-Kaitlyn & nephew-Matthew Walsh.

All are welcome to attend the service, which will take place at Old Post Chapel, Ft. Myer, with interment at Arlington National Cemetery on September 14, 2023 at 11am.