Good to have read a bit about you today SSgt, never forgotten.
-GySgt Trevino 

To the Family of Donovan Blaze Walters you have my deepest condolences. Blaze was a amazing poet. I met him through a mural friend when I was doing a Fund raiser at my church. The Virtuous Church  Jazz Cafe a couple of years ago. He was new to speaking his poetry but he was perfect with his stage appearance. I will be grateful for your willingness to help the community and it didn't hurt that we had the same birth date. RIH Blaze. I know you speaking your words to the angels.
KWells 

My deepest condolences to Ashley, Roman & Ramona and his family. My heart is broken with the loss of SSgt. Walters.  He was a fine young man and outstanding Marine. I thoroughly enjoyed the time I had working with him on my team the last year and a half.  He was always willing to help any way he could, I never heard him say a negative word about anyone and he was always quick to lift up others around him. May God wrap you all in His arms with overwhelming peace and comfort. 

Donovan became friends with my husband, Lewis, and I shortly after he moved to Chattanooga.  He and my husband used to skateboard together some and we would all hang out at Bitter Alibi.  He used to share his poetry with us and there and we would play a variety of board games.  Aside from him cooking for all of our friend group (which was amazing of course) there are a couple of memories that stuck with me about his kindness and empathy.  Our cat got stuck for a full day up in one of our really tall trees.  Donovan came quickly to help us get it down (I can't exactly remember what the plan was), but by the time he got there, the cat had gotten down.  He decided to cook us breakfast instead.  Donovan also helped us remodel parts of our house, including striping lead paint and installing gutters.  We hadn't seen him in a while, though we had all talked about getting together for dinner when he and Ashley started dating.  I'm very sad we never did.   All of his Chattanooga gang will miss him.

I had the pleasure of being close friends with Donny from Kentwood High School to our early years in the Marine Corps.  We had a routine of getting food and sitting in my car in the parking lot of Clark Lake Park, a spot between our houses in Kent, WA, and talking sometimes until past midnight listening to our favorite songs.  He had a personality that was easy to talk to for hours and just laugh.

Among many other memories, I remember the day he came into school with his first large pair of glasses, and he said he was preparing for the big glasses they issue in bootcamp.  We made it a point to see each other for each of our first vacations after bootcamp, and were very proud of knowing each other had made it.  We were fortunate to be able to carry our friendship to the Marine Corps in Camp Pendleton where we were both first stationed and had the same routine of laughing for hours in the car.

Donny was loved and will be remembered eternally by our close group of friends from across the country.  Our thoughts and prayers are with Ashley and his family.

I had the honor of serving alongside Blaze as he liked being called, with Echo Battery 2nd Battalion 11th Marines. He was my "gun doc" as i was a section chief and the man knew more about the howitzer than i did! He never hesitated to grab his tools and run across the gun pause to fix a problem with a gun, simple or complex. Everyone loved him, respected him, and looked up to him as a Leader, Marine and Man. He honorably served his country, and will always have a place amongst the elite and in my heart. 

Donovan and I met sometime in 2014 at a local coffee shop in Chattanooga. We were both regulars there and quickly became friends, and found the coincidence of our shared last name very amusing. His friendly and laid back nature made learning of his Marine Corps service a surprise as I always associated that branch with very “Type A” personalities, but that was just the type of person Donovan was; he was friendly, humble, and didn’t use his identity as a Marine to one-up or put down others. I enjoyed our conversations back then about longboarding and food and other topics. As life for both of us got busier and that coffee shop closed we no longer had time to meet up, but we kept running into each other from time to time around town. In 2015 when the July shootings happened in Chattanooga I immediately texted him knowing that he worked at the Navy Reserve Center. I was thankful to hear he had not been around when the attack occurred, and our friendship continued as he and I both worked many of the memorial events. Eventually he moved to Georgia but I was able to reconnect with him recently at another memorial event here in Chattanooga this year. I was impressed that he remembered my (now) wife’s name as we had only been dating at the time he moved. As always, we had plenty to talk about and catch up on and I was glad to meet his twins. His passing is an unspeakable loss for everyone who knew him, but I am grateful for the chance to know him and look forward to catching up with him over coffee in the next life. Donovan, your family is in our prayers.


SSGT, I will forever miss your energy and smile  you brought into the office everyday. Ms. Cathy as you called me. Rest my friend! No more worries!

My continue heartfelt prayers goes out to the Walters’ family. 

God bless each of you....

I worked with Donovan when he was stationed in Chattanooga. As many would attest, he could light up a room with his smile. He was an outstanding Marine that always went above and beyond in any task.  Semper Fidelis and Rest In Peace Marine.

My heart breaks for his entire family, and my family and I offer our deepest condolences on this tremendous loss. We will especially lift Ashley and the kids up in our prayers.  

I went to school with Donovan- or how we knew him as Donny. He was such a great friend. I knew I could always turn to him for support, laughter, or someone that could always make me smile. He loved the ocean, surfing, cooking, playing his ukulele, being in the Marines, but what he loved the most was his family. I'm shocked with this news and my heart is broken. My younger brother looked up to Donovan a lot and always appreciated all the advice and encouragement that was given. I know he will forever watch over his family. My prayers go out to his wife Ashley, his children, and to the rest of his family. Rest in peace Donovan.

Love,
DJ

I worked with SSgt Walters at  Mike Battery in Chattanooga for a couple years.  He was simultaneously the most gung-ho Marine and goofy guy in the unit.  Everyone respected him and learned from his leadership.   He was extremely committed to the mission readiness of the unit as well as the well-being of the Marines in his charge.  I am deeply affected by his passing, but know he will live eternally through memory and the positive influence he had on his fellow Marines.  Semper Fidelis.

Our sincere condolences to you Ashley and your family.
Kindly, Barb & Steve Navratil 

OBITUARY

SSgt. Donovan Blaze Walters

February 6, 1991 – October 30, 2019

Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory & Florist - East Chapel

Show your support

Add a Memory

Share Obituary

Get Updates

Services