James Noel Walsh entered the world January 22, 1933, in Oak Park, Illinois as the
fourth child born to Cecil Wiliam (1897-1964) and Ellen Thealinda Benson Walsh
(1898-1975). There were a total of five siblings in the family which included Marcese
Thealinda Downey, Vernette May Duda, William “Bill” Walsh, and David Jerome Walsh.
Initially raised in the Chicago suburbs, in 1948 Jim, his younger brother David, and
his parents embarked on a road trip across the western United States, in search of relief
for David’s rheumatic fever. The older three siblings stayed in Illinois with their own
growing families. The Walsh family originally planned to settle in Arizona, but a friend
of Cecil’s convinced them to continue to Hemet, California. The town was in a valley
full of citrus groves and surrounded by beautiful mountain vistas. This is where the
family settled and where Jim found his lifelong home.
After graduating from Hemet Union High in 1951, Jim dabbled in several different
jobs around town before enlisting in the Army during the Korean conflict. After his
two-year stint was complete, he returned to the valley and delved into law enforcement,
following in the footsteps of four older family members. He started working
for the Hemet Police Department in 1957, where his father served as Chief. Jim spent
almost three years at Hemet PD before transitioning to the Riverside County Sheriff’s
Department.
Jim’s 28-year tenure with the Sheriff’s Department included varied assignments. He
began work in the Hemet station as a deputy, soon transferring to the Indio office
where he could be found patrolling the Salton Sea on the department patrol boat, and
later he moved back to Hemet for the rest of his career. He could often be found headed
out to rescue citizens in need, editing mistakes in his deputies’ reports with a strict
red pen, and serving as unofficial liaison with CDF (now Cal Fire). He thoroughly enjoyed
many aspects of the job and made life-long friends and memories with other officers.
Jim served the RSO until his retirement in 1988 at the rank of Sergeant.
Even after retiring, Jim remained connected to public service, first working as a background
investigator for the RSO and later working in various roles for Hemet Valley
Ambulance until 2002. He also taught Administration of Justice classes at Mt. San Jacinto
College from 1970 to 1995. His local commitment extended beyond family, actively
engaging in community affairs, and contributing to local museum associations in
Hemet and San Jacinto after his retirement.
Jim was known for his knowledge and research on a broad swath of subjects. He kept
a diverse collection of books and would spend hours clipping newspaper articles of interest
and would often curate groups of clippings and drop them off with loved ones.
Jim cherished his family, first marrying Charlene Louise Faulkner. They had three children,
Kristin Ann Walsh (son James Cole Kegans, daughter Holly Nicole Kegans), James
Patrick Walsh (daughter Teagan), and Kathryn Noelle (husband Galen, daughters Lucy
Noelle, Adeline Mei, and Juliet Tian) Chin. In 1996, Jim married Barbara Dunham Lee
Walsh whose family includes her daughters Karin Ann Lee, Marta Lee Crofut (son Garrison
Douglas Crofut and daughter Lydia Rose Crofut), and sister, Betty Jo Dunham. Jim
was patriarch to a large extended family of cousins, nieces, and nephews ranging
across the nation.
James Noel Walsh’s legacy echoes through the lives he touched, both in his professional
endeavors and in personal connections, leaving an indelible mark on Hemet
and beyond. He is missed.
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