Oldest Olympian & Hall of Famer Walter Walsh Dies at 106

from USA Shooting

USA Shooting Mourns Passing of World’s Oldest Olympian & Hall of Famer Walter Walsh

It is with tremendous sadness that USA Shooting report that 1948 Olympian Walter Walsh passed away in his Northern Virginia home on Tuesday, April 29 with his family by his side, just six days shy of his 107th birthday. On January 18, 2013 he became the world’s oldest Olympian eclipsing another American Olympian, Rudolf Schrader.

The USA Shooting Hall of Fame proudly inducted Walsh along with Pat (Spurgin) Pitney into its ranks at an induction ceremony September 21, 2013 in Colorado Springs.

Clear and simple, Walter Walsh is an American Hero, all parts athlete, warrior, lawmaker, coach, husband and father as you’ll witness in the story we’ve provided below.

On the occasion of hearing his father had been inducted into USA Shooting’s Hall of Fame last year, his son and one of five children, Walter Walsh, Jr., had this to say in his honor.

“Dad never attached much importance to praise or sought it. His typical comment at such times was, ‘I was just one who was at that place and time to do a job as well as I could, nothing more.’ Any celebrity he gained never changed his being the faithful Marine “Semper Fidelis” or measuring up to the FBI’s “Fidelity Bravery Integrity”, as well as he could. He strove to be the Olympian, “Citius, Altius, Fortius”, but was as gracious in losing as winning. Happily, his children, grands and greats share in the recognition of who Dad is, his accomplishments and importantly, his consistent moral character that established a high standard for us.”

The USA Shooting family extends its condolences to the entire Walsh family.