John W. Walsh IV

1949 - 2017

Patient, innovator, visionary in voluntary health services. John W. "JW" Walsh IV of Miami, FL, passed away peacefully on March 7, 2017 surrounded by his family. He is survived by his devoted wife, Diane, his daughter Linda and granddaughter Lily. Also surviving are his twin brother, Fred Chase Walsh, and his sisters Susan Walsh Ferro and Judith "Juba" Walsh. John was born on February 4, 1949 to the late Helen Chase Walsh and John W. Walsh III. An Eagle Scout and President of Arlington High School's Class of 1967, he attended New Hampton School and Norwich University. He served in U.S. Special Forces and had a varied and distinguished career as an entrepreneur. In 1989, John and his brother Fred were diagnosed with Alpha-1 Antitripsin Deficiency, a chronic genetic form of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). This condition led to the early death of their mother and required Fred to undergo a double lung transplant in 2016. This diagnosis inspired John to co-found the Alpha-1 Foundation and to pioneer innovative approaches to fund education and support for patients and research programs to find a cure for Alpha-1. John's activism helped shape national and international public policy on genetic conditions and his leadership and compassion provided inspiration to many within the COPD community. For more information contact the Alpha-1 Foundation at www.alpha1foundation.org or the COPD Foundation at www.copdfoundation.org. A Family Service will be held in Arlington at a later date.