Thomas A. Walkup Jr. Obituary

I know his nephew and I know that everyday he tries his best to live up to his uncles legacy and that's more than anyone can ask.

Hello,
We would like to express our deepest condolences and also to let the Walkup Family know that we recently sent a donation to the Millville Army Airfield Museum in the name of Thomas A. Walkup Jr. US Air Force Staff Sergeant. We recognize that this is a humble tribute, but we wanted you to know that it is heartfelt and made possible by thousands of like-minded individuals in the youth hockey community and beyond. We will not forget. May God Bless you and keep you strong.
Sincerely,
Charlie Gili & Family
On Behalf of the US Hockey Players Support Our Troops Campaign

Gone but never forgotten!

In memory of SSG Thomas Walkup. Never forgotten.

You were always a cool cat at Luke AFB I got out in 99 and Im just finding this out! Hate to lose a brother, see you when I get there..

My friend,brother, and hero I Miss You. You are loved and liked by so many. Think about ya.....u wherr a crazy guy, always so upbeat and making people laugh...

Tom, wish we were out in the Arizona desert tearing it up again in the duce 1/2 and hummer we borrowed from Luke AFB. It was fun watching the MCSO Helecopter land to watch us pulling the hummvee from the river you managed to get stuck in. Good Time buddy miss ya.

Tom. I can't believe it has been 8 years since you left us too soon. This year has been tough, I lost a cousin in April, he was a Michigan State Trooper. The sacrifice you brave men have made will always be remembered deep in my heart. Thank you for your service and dedication. Fellow coworker and Friend.

SSgt Jody Timmreck USAF 1993-2004.

To the family and friends of Staff Sgt. Thomas A. Walkup, Jr.:
Please accept my remembrance of Thomas on the anniversary of his passing and know that he will never be forgotten.

We wish to Thank You Staff Sgt. Thomas Walkup Jr. and your Family for your Service and Sacrifice for our Country and Freedoms. Thank You and May God Bless those that miss you with His Love, Faith and Courage.

Your legacy will forever live on in the hearts of those who knew you and shared in your struggle to protect our country and the ultimate sacrifice you gave so that we can be grateful for what we have. Your family, friends, loved ones and fellow soldiers will stay in my thoughts and prayers.
A Proud Military Mom.

To the family and friends of Staff Sgt. Thomas A. Walkup, Jr.:
Remembering Thomas on the anniversary of his passing. May our fallen heroes never be forgotten!
Peggy Childers
"Don't Let The Memory Of Them Drift Away"
www.IraqWarHeroes.org

Today marks seven year since Thomas Walkup made the ultimate sacrifice. You are in our hearts and prayers and I look forward to my respects in person today. All gave some and some gave all...thank you for your dedication and commitment.

TSgt Shawn O'Donnell
USAF Veteran, 1994-2007

Wishes Heaven had a phone so I could hear your voice again. I thought of you today, but that is nothing new. I thought about you yesterday, and days before that too. I think of you in silence, I often speak your name. All I have are memories and a picture in a frame. Your memory is a keepsake, from which I'll never part. God has you in his arms and I have you in my heart.

”Honor and Remember” - “Project Compassion” We love our Soldiers! We love our country and we cannot express enough love and compassion to the families of our fallen heroes. War does not discriminate – It breaks our hearts to see the faces of the fallen. We want to give this gift to the hero’s Mother, Father and/or spouse. We are a 501c3 nonprofit organization! Over 1,850 portraits have been completed and shipped to the parents and or spouse - at no cost as this is a gift from one American to another!
This is a gift! We have some wonderful sponsors who help with the costs, and only want you know that we care.
Contact us directly at [email protected] or go to www.heropaintings.com . If you have already had a portrait completed, we pray that you are enjoying the portrait and God Bless You.
Sincerely and Respectfully,
Kenna

Holding you all in my thoughts and prayers.


The Wind on The Downs

“I like to think of you as brown and tall,
As strong and living as you used to be,
In khaki tunic, Sam Brown belt and all,
And standing there and laughing down at me.
Because they tell me, dear, that you are dead,
Because I can no longer see your face,
You have not died, it is not true, instead
You seek adventure in some other place.
That you are round about me, I believe;
I hear you laughing as you used to do,
Yet loving all the things I think of you;
And knowing you are happy, should I grieve?
You follow and are watchful where I go.”

(Written by Marian Allen during World War l )

Two lines that I wish you to keep near your heart…….

“You seek adventure in some other place.
That you are round about me, I believe”


I did not know Thomas, but I am remembering
his service and sacrifice. He is my hero. !

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Other Side

i'm over on the other side
where life and death softly divide.
left my skin and bones behind
now i'm over on the other side.

can you feel me there with you?
my breath is gone but i'm not through.
loved you then and i still do
from over on the other side.

i can fly. really fly.
below the earth ... all through the sky.
tell em all i did not die.
i'm just over on the other side.

it's good here on the other side.
the sweetest songs...the bluest skies.
thank you for the tears you cried
but it's good here on the other side.

i can fly. really fly. below the earth...all through the sky.
tell em all i did not die.
i'm just over on the other side

the world is smaller than a needle's eye.
where life and death softly divide.
when you leave your skin and bones behind
i'll be waiting on the other side.

i can fly. really fly. below the earth ... all through the sky.
go tell em all i did not die.
i'm just over on the other side.

Song lyrics by Don Conoscenti
C Desert Muse/SESAC
www.donconoscenti.com
(Used with permission)

“I hope it brings great comfort to any and all.
Peace on you. DonCon” 4-2008


The Other Side –
(To hear the song)
http://tinyurl.com/3o8gol



Sincerely,

Deb Estep ~ Ohio
Proud Air Force Mom SSgt Vince – Lackland AFB
Proud Air Force MIL SrA Dana – Randolph AFB

Remembering The Fallen – Blog
http://tinyurl.com/3z8p55

Angel and soldier drawing I have shared here.
http://tinyurl.com/6gey8b

To the family of Staff Sgt. Thomas A. Walkup, Jr.:
Thomas gave the ultimate sacrifice and will be held in the hearts of Americans forever. I cannot and will not let our fallen heroes be forgotten. My deepest sympathy to you. "Some gave all."
Peggy Childers
"Don't Let The Memory Of Them Drift Away"
www.IraqWarHeroes.org

I met Tom when we went Basic Flight Engineer School at Kirtland AFB in 2002. He was a great guy and I would give anything to sit down and have a beer with him again.

Tom((Rambo)) you were always a go-getter, you were filled with adventure. In my eyes you were and always be a friend.
God bless

You are remembered and respected. Thank you Staff Sgt Walkup!

If this person can stand in battle to ensure my freedom, then I will stand in grief with his/her family to honor him/her. For every fallen HERO there is a bright star that shines in the evening sky to remind us of the cherished gift we were given – even if for too short a time.
My heart breaks again as I sign yet another guest book of another courageous young soldier who gave their life so selflessly. I wish I never found myself in a position to have to sign another guestbook for the rest of my life, but I promised Le Ron A. Wilson (a dear friend KIA 7/6/07, 18yrs old) that neither he nor any like him would be forgotten and so I will continue until the day there is no longer the need.

PROUD MOTHER OF A U.S. SOLDIER
Althea Barrett (Queens, NY)

With deepest sympathy for your terrible loss. Everyone at Operation Jersey Cares feels your pain. We love and support our troops. Thomas may be gone but not forgotten!

Thank you for the sacrifice made by Staff Sgt Walkup and the sacrifice made by everyone who loves and misses him! May God bless you all!!

Tell them of us and say,
For their tomorrows,
We gave our today.
-- The Kohima Epitaph


We will never forget,
NJ Marine Moms

I never had the privilege of meeting Staff Sgt. Thomas A. Walkup, but I am a Walkup and I agree with what Ray Walkup said. We are all family and I will keep his family in my thoughts and prayers. His picture reminds me of one that I have of my father in his uniform, when he was about the same age. Thank you for your sacrifice. I am so grateful that I live in the America that he kept free for us.
Love and Prayers,

To the Walkup family; I previously signed Tom's guest book. From the most inner part of my heart I am so sorry Tom was taken from you. I visit ANC three to five days a week. Please know that each time I am there I always visit/honor Tom. Tom you are my hero and you will NEVER be forgotten.

Paying tribute to Staff Sgt. Thomas A. Walkup Jr., with a Great Amount of Thanks for his service and dedication to our Country and for Freedom.

May Thomas rest, in the Mighty Hands of God and know that he Truly is an American Hero.

May God's Loving Grace and Comfort continue to be with the Walkup family.

Those who Made the Ultimate Sacrifice, So Many and So Young, shall NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.

My brother among them. KIA-Vietnam 1967.



" What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose,

for all that we love deeply becomes a part of us"

~ Helen Keller ~



May the memories of your loved one live in your heart always.

Our heartfelt sympathy to the Walkup Family, my wife and I did not know Thomas. As parents who lost a daughter, Colleen, Age 26 on September 11, 2001 at the WTC, we share and understand the immense loss and sorrow of losing a child.

Please know that his sacrifice will not be forgotten, and he will remain in our prayers forever, a hero whom we will never forget.

Our prayer is that God’s tender mercy will dry your tears, and that He will comfort you in all the days ahead.

May the Peace of the Lord Be With You, Upon You, and Remain With You Always,

With Love & Respect,

Tom & JoAnn Meehan

My heartfelt sympathy to the Walkup family in the loss of Thomas. I did not know Thomas, but my heart is broken and I am saddened for your loss of such a fine young person and hero. May God bring you peace in your heart as you reflect on all the wonderful memories you hold so close. Please know that you are in my heart and prayers. Thomas you are my hero and you will NEVER be forgotten. I live close to Arlington National Cemetery and I go there often. Today while I was at ANC I stopped by and visited/honored Thomas.

I send each of you a hug from the most inner part of my heart.

Love and Peace

Tom



To live in the hearts

of those you leave behind

is never to die"

~Robert Orr~

I will always remeber tom. we had good times in Mexico, Las Vegas, and Phoenix, Tommy was so fun to be around, and some times we had too much fun, but that was what he was about, living on the edge Tom I really miss you buddy.

HEY Tommy, it's a few days until your birthday...so I just wanted to send you a birthday wish and let you know that you are still remembered in our hearts...Miss ya, Love Carolyn

tommy, it never gets any easier and everyday i wish you were here, i think about you all the time and know that you are watching over me and alyssa. it seems like yesterday when i was told that you were gone and that day left a void in my heart. this time of year is the hardest for me to accept that you are really gone. i love you and miss you. your sister

We miss you, Tom. Keep the pennies coming!

I knew Tom only for a short time, but it was long enough for him to touch my heart. People like him do not come along very often. I felt safer just knowing he was out there defending our country. My heart goes out to his family; especially his wife. I just found out about his passing but I wanted all of you to know that he touched just one more person. I have a photo of him, and when I find it I will post it for all of you.

to the family:



from my family to yours..our most sincere condolences..may god grant you peace..may you know the love of all the walkups at this time....we are all family...Ray Walkup

I will never forget Tom. I had some of the best times of my life with Tom and Carissa. And will never forget the night we both dressed up in full camo, face paint, body armor, and guns to go play "army" out in the Arizona desert. It was great. I always thanked him for helping me out in my first years in the Air Force.

To all who have sent their thoughts and prayers, thank you from the bottom of my heart. We remember all of those who have fallen in their fight for freedom espically Tommy.

My thoughts and prayers are with SSgt Walkup's family during this Memorial Day. I will forever be grateful to him for preserving & securing the ideals of our great nation. God Bless.



CMSgt Franciska Blankenfeld

United States Air Force

Tom, you are missed very much. Love you.