Kelsie Richard "RICK" Walls Jr. passed away peacefully on the 22 December 2025 at 8:41 A.M., at the age of 51, with his devoted wife 30 years, Shannon, holding his hand.
Kelsie R Walls Jr. was born 15 APR 1974, in Machias, Maine, and moved to Bradenton, Florida, at a young age. He graduated from SouthEast High School in 1992 and shortly afterward enlisted into the U.S. ARMY as an Infantryman (11B) in July 1992. He met his wife, Shannon, in Kirchgoens, Germany. They married on 7 December 1995 in Vojens, Denmark, and together raised two adventurous, curious and creative boys.
SFC Walls had two overseas tours and numerous deployments, including Kosovo/Bosnia, Korea, Operation Iraqi Freedom II, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He traveled the world and lived a life filled with experiences that could never be fully captured in words. As an Infantryman, he faced profound losses alongside his Brothers in Arms. He was an outstanding leader, teacher, and comrade. His military career was a testament to his courage, dedication, and passion.
In his later years in the military, SFC Walls served as a Jumpmaster Instructor, 507th Airborne, and it was during this time that his passion for skydiving was born. He began Accelerated Freefall (AFF) training with the Silver Wings Demonstration Team at Fort Benning, Georgia. Weekends were spent with his skydiving family at Skydive Atlanta in Thomaston, Georgia. His love for "Blue Skies" was firmly established.
After retiring from the U.S. Army, Rick joined AirStreams Renewable, Inc. (2018-2024), where he advanced to the role of Director of Operations. The company supports soldiers transitioning out of the military by providing trade skills and job opportunities as they move into civilian life. Rick was a passionate and caring person, always looking out for the well-being of service members and their families.
During this time, SPARTAN racing became a weekend passtime for him and his colleagues. They traveled across the United States for races and eventually made it to Sparta, Greece, in November 2023. My husband was strong.
LOVE FOR LIFE
Rick was a devoted husband and a proud, loving father to our two boys, Trey and Alex. He loved his family deeply, and you could see it in his smile. He should have been an actor-he loved attention, entertaining others, being noticed, and making everyone laugh. Rick and the boys had an incredible talent for memorizing movie scenes, and they used it almost every day. Weekend trips to the movies were practically a tradition; he loved the big screen, the popcorn, and his Milk Duds.
He loved to travel, take hiking trips in the mountains, listen to music, sing, and -most of all-eat. At home, he was always active: cutting pine trees on our property, building bonfires in the backyard, and making garden beds and chicken coops for me. Rick had a soft spot for animals-our dogs, our cats, and even the pot-belly pig we somehow ended up with. He told me I could keep it only if he could name it "Chorizo."
He had a marvelous sense of humor.
Rick was especially proud of his car, 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX, STI with license plate "AZAMI". When he turned onto the main road a mile away, I could already hear him coming home. He loved understanding how things worked and was always happiest when he was working with his hands.
We were always planning our next adventure together. We dreamed of traveling more, seeing the world, and visiting friends and family near and far. Rick was the baby of the family-his two older sisters, Cathy and Vicki, lovingly called him the "Golden Child." They teased him growing up, and I understood why. Rick lived fully in the moment, no matter where he was, and I admired that about him. He had a gift for turning strangers into friends.
In January 2025, we traveled to Okinawa, Japan to visit our youngest son, Alex, his wife Kaori, daughter Yuzu and our first grandon, Kazu, who was born on March 15, 2024. Our oldest son, Trey, was also there on a six-month TDY assignment. We were finally going to be together again-something that doesn't happen often for a military family.
Just two months after that trip, something was terribly wrong with my husband...and I didn't understand why.
- 12 MAY 2025 - Symptoms / Numerous Doctors Appts.
- JUL 2025 - Hospitalized (family member informed me of CJD in family?)
- AUG-SEPT 2025 - Numerous Doctors Appts. and Specialist
- OCT 2025 - Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville - Early "on-set" Dementia Clinic
- NOV 2025 - Mayo Clinic - Diagnosed w/ CJD, Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI)
- 22 DEC 2025 - 224 days, beginning of his first symptoms; Kelsie R. Walls Jr. passed
This page was created for the love of my life. I loved you then, I love you now, and I always will. Over our 30-year journey together, we gained invaluable lessons and experiences, and I was grateful every day to have you by my side. Even when his memories faded, Rick remained the caring, loving, and funny man I have always deeply loved. I will continue to advocate for him, for our family, and for others facing this devastating disease. It was Rick's wish to donate his brain to Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville.
Your donations will help fund the research, find answers and treatment for future families.
He is survived by his loving wife, Shannon J. Walls, and his two sons, who also serve in the Armed Forces: Kelsie Richard Walls III (Air Force) and Brenden Alexander Walls (Marine Corps) and Kaori (wife); his granddaughter, Yuzu Ashley Walls and grandson, Kazu Darien Walls. Additional survivors include his mother, Barbara A Almeter; his sister, Vicki Lee and Michael Lee (husband); their childen Christopher Lee, Kelsie Swatek, Erin Swatek, Lea Agliano and Tristan Lee; his mother-in-law, Linda J. Ferguson.
Preceded in death by his father, Kelsie Richard Walls; his sister, Cathy Walls; his stepfather, James Almeter; nephew, Stephon A. Swatek, father-in-law, Joseph L Ferguson; and his brother-in-law, Matthew L. Ferguson.