MICHAEL ANTHONY WALSH TRANSITIONED PEACEFULLY TO HIS HEAVENLY RESTING PLACE ON FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2026 AT THE AGE OF 66. BORN ON NOVEMBER 4, 1959 IN BROWNSVILLE, BROOKLYN, MICHAEL WAS RAISED IN THE BUSHWICK SECTION OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK. HE ATTENDED GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE HIGH SCHOOL WHERE HE MAJORED IN ELECTRONICS BEFORE ENTERING THE UNITED STATES ARMY AT THE YOUNG AGE OF 18.

FOLLOWING HIS MILITARY SERVICE, MICHAEL RETURNED HOME TO BROWNSVILLE AND RE-ESTABLISHED HIMSELF IN THE MARCUS GARVEY APARTMENTS COMMUNITY WHERE HE BECAME AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS “THE MAYOR” BECAUSE OF HIS WARM, OUTGOING, AND SOCIAL PERSONALITY. MICHAEL NEVER MET A STRANGER, AND WAS LOVED BY MANY FOR HIS KINDNESS, WISDOM, AND WELCOMING SPIRIT.

ABOVE ALL ELSE, MICHAEL LOVED GOD AND MAINTAINED A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE. AS A CHILD, HE ATTENDED HIS FAMILY’S CHURCH, BETHLEHEM BAPTIST CHURCH IN EAST NEW YORK, BROOKLYN, WHERE HE WAS ACTIVELY INVOLVED AND EVEN SANG IN THE CHOIR. HIS FAITH REMAINED STEADFAST THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE. UNTIL HIS FINAL DAYS, IF YOUR NAME WAS IN MICHAEL’S PHONE, YOU COULD COUNT ON RECEIVING DAILY SCRIPTURES, INSPIRATIONAL MESSAGES, AND WORSHIP VIDEOS THAT REFLECTED HIS DEVOTION AND LOVE FOR OTHERS.

MICHAEL WAS A PROUD U.S. ARMY VETERAN WHO DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO SERVICE, BOTH IN UNIFORM AND WITHIN HIS COMMUNITY. HE SERVED HONORABLY IN THE ARMY FROM 1977 until his retirement in 1983. ACCORDING TO HIS DD-214 (HONORABLE DISCHARGE), MICHAEL ACHIEVED THE RANK OF SERGEANT FIRST CLASS, AND WAS RECOGNIZED AS AN EXPERT WITH THE M16 RIFLE AND HAND GRENADE. HE EARNED NUMEROUS HONORS, INCLUDING THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, NCO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT RIBBON, OVERSEAS SERVICE RIBBON, ARMY SERVICE RIBBON, and Ranger Distinction. DESPITE THESE REMARKABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, Michael remained humble and rarely spoke about his achievements.

AFTER COMPLETING HIS MILITARY SERVICE, MICHAEL CONTINUED HIS COMMITMENT TO HELPING OTHERS BY WORKING AS A SENIOR SECURITY OFFICER WITH BLACK VETERANS FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE.

UPON RETURNING HOME FROM THE MILITARY, MICHAEL REUNITED WITH HIS HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART, ROBIN. THEIR LOVE STORY BLOSSOMED, AND THEY WERE MARRIED ON MAY 22, 1987. TOGETHER, THEY BUILT A LOVING FAMILY, AND WERE BLESSED WITH TWO BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS.

SIX YEARS AGO, MICHAEL’S GRANDDAUGHTER, SURAI, WAS BORN, AND QUICKLY BECAME THE APPLE OF HIS EYE AND THE LIGHT OF THE FAMILY. SHE BROUGHT EVERYONE CLOSER TOGETHER, AND MICHAEL COULD NOT BEGIN A SINGLE DAY WITHOUT SPEAKING TO HER.  EVEN DURING THE FAMILY’S DIFFICULT MOMENT OF LOSS, SURAI SHOWED INCREDIBLE STRENGTH. AFTER LEARNING OF HER GRANDFATHER’S TRANSITION, SHE SAID, “YEAH, I’M KINDA SAD, BUT I’M ALSO HAPPY BECAUSE I KNOW HE IS IN HEAVEN NOW”.

MICHAEL WAS ALSO KNOWN FOR HIS ATHLETIC ABILITY AND LOVE OF BASKETBALL. MANY DESCRIBED HIM AS A PHENOMENAL PLAYER, THOUGH HIS BROTHER MIGHT LOVINGLY DEBATE THAT CLAIM DUE TO THEIR CLOSE, YET COMPETITIVE BOND. MICHAEL ALSO TOOK PRIDE IN HIS APPEARANCE. HE WAS KNOWN AS A TRUE “DRESSER” WHO LOVED TO “PUT IT ON” WITH EFFORTLESS STYLE AND CONFIDENCE. CLEAN, POLISHED, AND SMOOTH LIKE A GQ MODEL, MICHAEL WAS RARELY SEEN WITHOUT ONE OF HIS SIGNATURE KANGOL HATS TILTED SLIGHTLY TO THE SIDE. HE TRULY HAD A KANGOL HAT FOR EVERY SEASON.

MICHAEL WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HIS BELOVED PARENTS, REBECCA AND CHARLES WALSH; HIS DEVOTED WIFE, ROBIN WALSH; HIS SISTERS, MICHELLE WALSH AND BELINDA WILLIAMS; AND HIS BROTHERS, RUDOLPH WALSH, OTIS WALSH, AARON WALSH, LARRY WALSH, AND CHARLES WALSH.

HE LEAVES TO CHERISH HIS MEMORY HIS LOVING DAUGHTERS, SHANEEKA CORDERO AND MICHELE WALLACE; HIS CHERISHED GRANDDAUGHTER, SURAI WALLACE; HIS SISTERS, BRENDA WILLIAMS, DEBRA PRESTON, AND CORETTA WALSH; HIS TWIN BROTHER, MITCHELL WALSH; HIS BROTHER, DANIEL WALSH; AND A HOST OF NEPHEWS, GREAT-NEPHEWS, NIECES, G R E AT-N I E C E S, COUSINS, FRIENDS, AND EXTENDED FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WILL FOREVER TREASURE HIS LOVE, WISDOM, LAUGHTER, AND UNFORGETTABLE PRESENCE.