NH Knights

 - On July 30, 2010 the New Hampshire State Council, Knights of Columbus lost a very dear brother and close friend.  Dan Walsh was a member of the Littleton Council #1835 / Assembly #636.  He was 75 and gave unselfishly of himself during all of those years.  He served in the US Navy for 22 years, part of which stationed on board the USS Intrepid.  He was decorated with the National Defense Service Medal and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal.

He joined the Knights while in the Navy during the time that he was stationed in the Norfolk, VA area.  He served as Grand Knight and then moved to Franconia, NH in the early 1990s where he immediately became actively involved in the Littleton Council and Assembly.  Dan exhibited his strong Catholic beliefs by the way he treated people with great dignity and respect.  He loved to entertain them and leave them smiling.

He served as District Deputy from 1993 to 1997 during which time the Littleton Council, under his tutelage was awarded with two consecutive Star Council Awards in 1994 and 1995.  In 1994 he actually convinced the Council to host a Religious Appreciation Night in which he scripted, directed – but most amazingly persuaded over 30 of the council members, their spouses and children to dress up and perform vaudeville acts to entertain the area’s clergy and religious.  It was an amazing event – that would never have happened without Dan’s wit and drive.  Likewise, he single-handedly organized the Littleton Council to institute the “Civic Award” which was a localized version of the State Council’s Granite Award.  In 1995 Hamilton Ford who had achieved the local Civic Award also continued on to become the NH State Knights of Columbus Granite Award Recipient.

In addition to his dedicated work with the Knights locally, Dan served for over 10 years as the Master of Ceremonies for all State Council functions.  Dan was unique in his ability to be both entertaining and inspirational in his emcee role for all of the State Balls, Granite Award, and State Convention during this time period.

Above all Dan was a devoted Catholic with great faith and love and an uncompromising sense of service and dedication.  He was married to his wife Pat for just a little over 50 years when she predeceased Dan in July 2008.  He and Patricia had six children.  

To know Dan was to know a man who was truly blessed with the spirit of Columbianism.  He was the Class Honoree for the 4^th Degree Exemplification held in Littleton -November 2007.  We who knew Dan personally (and there are many) are blessed ourselves to have known such “Stout-Hearted Man” as he.

May Dan & Pat Rest in Peace and May God let Perpetual Light shine upon them.  Amen!