John Joseph Walsh III: July 17, 1965 – June 13, 2026

ST. HELENS- John Joseph Walsh III, 60, of St. Helens, Oregon, passed away on June 13, 2026, following a tragic accident on the Columbia River. He was born on July 17, 1965, in Long Beach, California, to John Joseph Walsh II and Elaine Mary Rubert (Parker).

John dedicated nearly three decades to public service, working in communities across Washington state, Myrtle Point, Oregon, and St. Helens, Oregon. For almost fourteen years, he served as City Administrator of St. Helens, helping guide the city through a period of growth marked by waterfront improvements and major development projects. He was known for leadership grounded in kindness, optimism, and a deep commitment to the people and places he served. John led by listening, encouraging others, and approaching challenges with steady judgment and quiet resolve. His work reflected not only professional dedication, but a consistent way of moving through the world: with humility, care, and a belief that good work was worth doing well.

Beyond St. Helens, John remained actively involved in regional organizations that strengthened local governments across Oregon, including the League of Oregon Cities, the Oregon City/County Management Association, the Columbia Business Alliance, and the Columbia Pacific Economic Development District. As an ICMA Credentialed Manager, he shared his experience generously with others entering or growing in public service, offering guidance without ego or expectation. His involvement was never about titles or recognition; it came from his belief that communities are stronger when people support one another. John used what he knew to help other cities solve problems, grow thoughtfully, and better serve their residents, extending his impact far beyond the community he called home.

At home, John was drawn to projects that challenged him and gave him something new to learn. He had a natural curiosity about how things worked and took satisfaction in the effort it took to do them well. He once built his own home from the ground up and helped remodel many others for friends and family, giving generously of his time and taking real pleasure in making things better. He had a lasting respect for craftsmanship and the labor behind work done well, and he noticed when something was made with care. Over the years he kept horses, and for most of his life had a Labrador by his side. He became an avid homebrewer, learning to make beer, wine, and kombucha and enjoying the process as much as the result. Recently, he began keeping bees, tending to the hives with focus and care as a natural complement to the flowers and fruit trees he had worked so hard to cultivate over the years.

He also loved the outdoors and the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Water was a constant thread in his life, from rivers to open ocean. He spoke fondly of commercial fishing in Alaska, remembering the long days on the water and the challenge of the work. He loved boating and spent many years on the Columbia River and out along the Washington and Oregon coasts, where he fished often and took pride in providing meals from his catch to share with family and friends. He treasured annual hunting trips in Montana with his sons and his brother, and the time they spent together in the rugged landscape. He was actively planning a long-awaited trip aboard his treasured boat, Fins, from St. Helens up the coast and into south Puget Sound.

John was never one person in public and another in private. The patience, fairness, humility, and steady judgment people admired in him professionally were the same qualities he brought home to his family and offered freely to his friends. He was capable and dependable, hands-on and resourceful, generous with his time and knowledge, and never one to make more of himself than he needed to. He gave every part of life the attention it deserved, bringing the same steadiness to his work, his projects, his friendships, and his family.

John is survived by his wife, Jolene Walsh, and his sons, Devin, Parker, and Christian, who were the greatest source of pride and joy in his life.

John will be remembered as a devoted husband and father, a respected public servant, an outdoorsman, and a friend to many. His legacy lives on in the communities he strengthened, the family he loved, and the people who carry forward the example he set.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at 1 p.m. at the St. Helens Elks Lodge.