2025 Last Ring Notices

George Dean Walden #2128, previous SPD Patrol Officer was hired on June 26, 1961, and graduated from Academy Class #47. After serving for six years, George resigned on February 6, 1967, to become a Commercial Airline Pilot.  George passed away on May 27, 2025, at 87 years of age.

George’s obit is posted as follows: https://neptunesociety.com/obituaries/spokane-wa/george-walden-12395299

George Dean Walden passed away peacefully after a brief stay at Ferry County Memorial Hospital in Republic, Washington on May 27, 2025, with his family at his side. He was 87 years old. A long-time resident of Republic, born in Republic March 11,1938 to Edward and Gretchen Walden. George graduated from Republic High School and worked part time during school at Knob Hill Mines, and he operated the movie projector at the Republic Theater. After graduation he moved to Seattle and worked for two years at Boeing. He then decided to attend the Law Enforcement Academy and served as a Patrol Officer for the Seattle Police Department for six years. Following that, he decided he wanted to go to Flight Training School in Seattle and became a commercial pilot and flew for Western Airlines, which later became Delta Airlines where he retired after 25 years.

George and Aida Aquino were together 35 years and were married in Maui where they owned a condo and spent their winters in retirement away from the snow and keeping warm by the ocean breezes off their lanai.

George lived his life sharing what he loved most. He loved the outdoors and was an avid hunter who never missed a season for deer, moose, elk and bear. He was well known and respected at his hunting camp up near Swan Lake where he spent a month each year and met many lifetime friends. He always loved sharing hunting stories. He had an impressive display of numerous animal mounts in his home office. He also looked forward to his annual boating and camping trips on Lake Roosevelt for a month. Life on Curlew Lake in Republic provided an endless source of pleasure and recreation. He passed on his love of the water to his daughters and enjoyed water skiing and fishing with his “leaded line” with his daughters. You would often see George and Aida out morning and night on Curlew Lake fishing and coming back with a bucketful. Those loves aside though, his real love was his Corvettes. He and Aida were Life Time members of the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Annually they took a road trip to the Corvette factory to pick up their pre-ordered new Corvette. They were also members of the Seattle, Spokane, Yakima and Maui Corvette Clubs and were well known for the numerous trips with their many friends to “show and shine” gatherings.

George was preceded in death by his wonderful parents and sister, Patricia Gendron. He is survived by his wife Aida Aquino Walden, Republic; his daughters Kim (Karl) Jones, Calhan, Colorado and Michelle Hanson, Moses Lake, Washington; and his grandsons, Ian Swearingen and Hunter Gildersleeve. George loved visiting with everyone. There are so many facets to George they can’t all be captured here. But we do know he was loved and respected by so many people and will be missed so very much. Thank you to all his friends who he enjoyed immensely.

Paul Knapp #2160, retired Seattle police major, passed away on Sunday, February 23, 2025, at 86 years of age. Paul was hired on October 2, 1961, and retired after 27 years of service on December 30, 1988.

Paul Henry Knapp was born in Seattle on July 08, 1938, to Joseph Henry Knapp and Marie Elizabeth (Francis) Knapp. He was the fourth child to be born into the family. Four more were born and Paul ended up being 1 of 8 kids - Jimmy, Frank, Rosemary, Paul, Harry, John, and twins Eileen and Kathleen.

Paul wanted to enlist in the Marine Corps, and eventually served in The Corps for 4-years at different locations stateside and in the Pacific. He extended his service for a year (5-years total) to obtain an assignment as a Marine Guard at the U.S. Embassy in Rangoon, Burma where he was promoted to a Sergeant. Paul was very proud of his Marine Corps service.

Paul had long-wanted to be a Seattle cop. However, when he was discharged from The Corps, he discovered that he had not yet reached the minimum age for entry into the Police Academy. He was about a year short. So he drove a bus in Seattle for about that period of time, both to earn a wage and to study/learn more about the Seattle streets - believing that this knowledge would be beneficial to him in the future. After completing the Police Academy, Paul became a part of the Seattle Police Department (SPD) and retired after a 28 year career. Paul enjoyed his police work and was very dedicated to it.

After his retirement from the SPD, Paul enjoyed home gardening, extensive research on family genealogy work and traveling to many places in Europe - including a trip to Norway where his wife, Sandra, met her cousins for the first time. Paul also worked with his brother John in the income tax business and eventually started his own tax office. Despite Paul's busy schedule, he and Sandra always made time to use their season tickets for Sounder soccer games.

Paul, at age 86, passed away in Seattle, on Sunday February 23, 2025. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Sandra, daughter Melissa and grandchildren Ellie, Chase, Eva and Aiden. Along with his parents, Paul is preceded in death by his son Christopher, brother Jimmy, his sisters Rosemary and Eileen. Also surviving Paul are his brothers Frank, Harry and John and his sister Kathleen.

Paul will be greatly missed by his family and friends

SEMPER FI PAUL

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association.

Timothy Perry #2602, retired Seattle police patrol officer, passed away on January 4, 2025, at 86 years of age.
Tim was born in San Diego, California, and raised in West Seattle. In high school, he enjoyed playing both baseball and football. After graduating, he played minor league baseball with the Oklahoma City 89’ers in the Pacific Coast League through the Oklahoma Reds organization.

Tim later attended the University of Washington, where he played football for one year and participated in Reserve Officer Training. He then joined the United States Air Force, serving four years as an Airman First Class with Strategic Air Command and Intelligence, including during the period of the Bay of Pigs.

After his military service, Tim completed his degree at Seattle University, studying sociology and criminal justice. From 1964 to 1966, he worked as a transit driver while finishing his education.
On August 24, 1966, Tim was hired by entered academy class #52, alongside a close-knit group of 36 other recruits including Hans Marx #2612, John Gray #2629, Steve Butler #2610, Jerry Hofstee #2642 Ron Copeland #2617, Hank Gruber #2658, Dave Waltier #2633, Dean Quall #2609, Fred Aesquivel #2619, Lynn Stark #2631, Dave Ritter #2373 and Pat Munter #2638. This group had a reunion every year up until Covid. 

By the late 1960s, Tim was partnered with Jim Geiser #2790, and together they were known on patrol as King-92. The two were respected not only for their professionalism but also for their sense of humor, often sharing harmless pranks and the occasional song that strengthened camaraderie among their fellow officers. It was during this time that Tim met Mike Brasfield #3020, who would become a lifelong friend and later play an important role in his career.

Around 1970, while patrolling near Seattle Center, Tim met a single mother and her two young sons. When he arrived to pick her up for their first date, he noticed bags of cans on the back porch and learned the boys were collecting them to earn money for a bicycle. Moved by their determination, Tim promised that if they saved enough for one bicycle, he would buy the second. He kept his word. Two years later, Tim and Sherry were married, beginning a partnership that would last more than five decades.

On July 13, 1972, Tim and his partner Jim were conducting a stakeout at the apartment of a robbery suspect. The suspect was wanted in connection with a violent robbery in which a victim had been beaten by four individuals in a hotel room. When the suspect climbed through the window of his apartment, Tim and Jim identified themselves as police officers. The suspect then reached into his pocket and pulled out a .22 revolver. Tim and Jim discharged their weapons. The incident was reviewed, and a jury determined the officers’ actions were justified.

Tim was deeply devoted to his family. He coached his children’s teams, supported their activities, and was present for every milestone. When his oldest son earned an opportunity to play professional basketball in Australia, Tim sold his truck to help make it possible. He also spent countless hours helping another son prepare motorcycles for competition and attending every race.

Tim was named Officer of the Year in 1975 by the Kiwanis Club, although the specific reason is no longer known. From 1977 to 1984, Tim was assigned to the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, where he supervised instructors and recruits and helped improve law enforcement training across the state. During this time, he wrote two important textbooks, Basic Patrol Procedures and The Practical Mock Scene Manual. These books were adopted by academies and colleges across the country and later internationally, and they influenced the training of law enforcement officers for many years.

On July 31, 1984, Tim took a leave of absence from the Seattle Police Department to serve as Chief of Police for Clyde Hill, returning to SPD in March 1985. He had also been teaching criminal justice at Shoreline Community College, where his passion for education continued to grow.

On January 15, 1986, Tim was promoted to detective and assigned to the undercover narcotics unit. He also served in homicide and robbery investigations and occasionally assisted with mayoral security alongside his longtime partner Jim Geiser.
Tim retired from the Seattle Police Department on December 30, 1989. In 1993, he became Director of Criminal Justice at Shoreline Community College, where he taught police procedures, investigations, and constitutional law for 12 years. Education became his second calling, and many of his students credit him with launching their careers and building their confidence.

That same year, Tim encouraged his friend Lee Libby #3437 to apply for an instructor position at Shoreline and personally delivered his application. Lee was selected from more than 30 applicants, and together they helped build and strengthen the program.
After relocating to Port Ludlow, Tim continued his service to law enforcement. In early 2005, he was contacted by his longtime friend and now Jefferson County Sheriff, Mike Brasfield. On March 1, 2005, Tim was appointed Undersheriff of Jefferson County. He served in that role for four years before retiring from law enforcement in 2009, concluding a distinguished career of public service.

In retirement Tim turned his disciplined writing habits to fiction. His first novel, Trilogy in Blue: From the Ashes, was published in 2009. He approached writing the same way he approached life—with consistency and persistence. His advice was simple: read carefully, revise often, and keep going. When asked about writer’s block, he joked the cure could be exercise or “two fingers of Macallan’s 20.”

Those who knew Tim also remember his wonderful sense of humor. His friend Lee Libby #3437 recalled giving him 70 individually wrapped golf balls for his 70th birthday. About a year later, after losing a ball during a round of golf, Tim calmly pulled out one of the wrapped birthday balls and hit it—tissue and ribbon flying everywhere—as it landed just six feet from the pin. With a smile, he said, “Maybe I should use these balls more often.” It was classic Tim. Others mentioned Tim’s sage advice: “At any gathering, find the table with the most laughter and sit there.”

Tim will be remembered as a devoted father, outstanding police officer, mentor, educator, and author. He believed deeply in sharing knowledge and treating others with respect. His textbooks and teaching continue to influence law enforcement and the many students he guided throughout his career. Above all, Tim was a good man and a respected professional. His legacy lives on through his family and the many lives he touched.
Tim passed away on January 4, 2025. Sadly, Tim’s wife of 52 years Sherry passed away just nine months later.

Tim and Sherry are survived by their children Joe, Brian, and Heidi. Their son Rick predeceased them. They are also survived by four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Written by: Stephanie Coleman
Stephanie.Coleman@seattle.gov
Seattle Police Pension