In Memory of State Representative Chris Walsh
Representative Chris Walsh
5/20/51 – 5/2/18
It is with much sadness that I write this blog post to honor the life and work of State Representative Chris Walsh. He lost his long battle with cancer and passed away on the evening of Wednesday, May 2nd, surrounded by his family at his home in Framingham.
The Commonwealth has lost another “Champion of Artists”. Representative Walsh was one of us. He was an artist who went to RISD and was the only State Representative who was a practicing architect. He made every attempt to attend the annual “Artists Under the Dome” event. When he did attend, he gave the most fitting and inspiring speeches. MALC was honored to have him as a staunch supporter and a co-conspirator in advancing issues of our creative sector. MALC worked closely with him and his staff on several pieces of legislation for the current session. Last year he was one of our 2017 Champion of Artists Awardees. His profile for that award is worth the read.
I fondly remember testifying at the State House with him last October to support the bills he filed for our sector, and the three he filed on behalf of MALC. He was very public about his battle with cancer and often shared humorous social media posts about his treatment journey. He really wasn’t supposed to be at the State House testifying that day (i.e., his doctors told him to limit his time in public). Yet there he was testifying. I teased him not to post on Facebook that he testified, as his doctors would be sure to see it and ground him. This was how dedicated he was to his work and to making the Commonwealth a better place.
Representative Walsh was the gold standard for what makes a person a great elected official. He was kind, caring, gracious, a good listener, a problem solver, and a consensus builder. He was brilliant in every sense of the word – as smart as they come. He lit up any room or place he was with his radiant, welcoming smile. He had an ethic and moral compass that was unwavering.
MALC wishes his family and his state house staff comfort in the days and months that lie ahead.
And to Rep. Walsh, you will always be our champion.
Kathleen Bitetti
MALC Steering Committee Member
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The Walsh family asks that those who wish to pay tribute to him, to donate to the Danforth Museum at Framingham State University. (Select Danforth Art in Honor of Rep. Chris Walsh under the “Designation” field.) This was a place he loved and worked to save.
Some wonderful tribute articles about Rep. Walsh: