George L. Walsh

George passed away on July 18, 2014, at the age of 84 after a lingering illness. Born in Grand Haven, Michigan, on October 24, 1929, George was the first of two sons of Louis Verne (“Mickey”) and Ruby Bartow Walsh. October 24, 1929, is also one of the two days that the stock market crashed. A graduate of Grand Haven High School in 1947, George earned his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Western Michigan University in 1952. After receiving his Certified Public Accounting certificate in 1960, he decided to further his education on a part-time basis at Michigan State University and earned his Master of Business Administration degree in March 1965. Rather than using his C.P.A. to practice public accounting, George devoted most of his professional career as an accountant to non-profit entities: the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District, Michigan State University, and the Country Club of Lansing. While at MSU, George assisted Andrew D. Hunt, Dean of the College of Human Medicine, and Willis W. Armistead, Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, as their financial manager. He began his tenure with Dean Hunt eighteen months prior to the arrival of the first medical students in the College. George was a devoted fan of the Chicago Cubs from 1939 until his death. He laughingly said that his only claim to fame was that he actually saw the Chicago Cubs play in a World Series Game: in October, 1945, in Detroit. His love of baseball during his high school days inspired George to invent a one-on-one baseball game, using an actual diamond. He played 105 games and won 63 of them. When an old sports injury curtailed his retirement activities, George turned his efforts to a different arena and wrote a trilogy of Western historical novels. He published them together under the title Apache, My Son. George was very proud of these novels, which were the natural product of his deep interest in American history, especially its Civil War. He subscribed to Civil War Times for its first 48 years, and his library contained a number of books about George Armstrong Custer, the Seventh Cavalry, and the Battle of the Little Big Horn. His library also contained about 80 Western novels by a variety of authors. George’s memberships included the American Association of Certified Public Accountants, Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants, Western Writers of America, Inc., and Custer Battlefield Historical and Museum Association. George was preceded in death by his parents and a brother-in-law, Robert K. Stump. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Patricia; one brother, Robert D. (Cynthia) Walsh of Ada, Michigan; two brothers-in-law, Kenneth R. (Lucille) Stump of Aurora, Colorado and Richard R. (Lee) Stump of Reno, Nevada; and three sisters-in-law, Sara L.(Frederick) Kearsley of Walla Walla, Washington, Marjorie J. (James) Mitchell of Farmington, Michigan and Carolyn (David) Savage of Columbus, Ohio. Also surviving are three nephews and three nieces. George’s family will welcome friends from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, July 17, at Gorsline-Runciman East Chapel and from 10 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 18, at Okemos Community Church. George’s Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, July 18, at 11 a.m. at Okemos Community Church. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Greater Lansing Food Bank, P. O. Box 16224, Lansing, MI 48901. The family is being served by Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, East Chapel. Online condolences may be made at www.greastlansing.com