George Walls

George Allison Walls, 80, of Morehead City, passed away on Sunday, February 23, 2025 at his home in Morehead City.

Services will be held 11:00AM on Saturday, March 15, 2025 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 209 Ann St, Beaufort, NC. Burial will be at Little Georgetown Cemetery, Broad Run, VA.

George was born March 1, 1944 son of the late Mary Linda Line Walls, RN, DC and George Alvis Walls. He grew up in Vineland, NJ and received a BA degree in Business Administration from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ.

George’s management career started in New Bern, NC as store Merchandise Manager for Montgomery Ward. After two years he was promoted to a Washington, DC metro store, one of the largest in sales volume and profit stores in the Montgomery Ward system. In over 11 years as Operations Manager/Assistant Store Manager, George became very experienced in Human Resources (supervising over 300 employees), security, budgeting, purchasing, P&L accountability warehousing and overall retail management.

As an opportunity arose, George became the first Director of Operations/Assistant Director for the Smithsonian Institution Museum Stores on the Mall in Washinton, DC, selected from 123 applicants, George was able to streamline the operations, placed new stricter policies and procedures for better profitability in addition to supervising over 450 employees which included eight managers distribution center manager and Human Resources manager. Responsibilities included security, budgeting (store front consolidated), contracting using GSA guidelines or independent procurement, strategic planning and event coordination with Museum Directors on special evening new exhibit openings. George was a valuable resource in improving sales volume from five million to over 30 million in 10+ years. George and his supervisor were direct reports to the Treasurer of the Smithsonian concerning the activity of the museum Stores.

With close to three decades of management experience in the Washington, DC area, another opportunity arose. George became a high-level Federal contractor working for a company in Northern Virginia with assignment at Headquarters Security for the Federal Communications Commission in Washington, DC. George was granted by OPM a Top Secret/SCI clearance and other higher

clearances for communication documents with the White House and Department of State. Other duties included dealing with Federal white-collar crime and employee and contractor interrogations based on OPM investigation. After the FCC contract ended, and with one year left before a planned retirement, George was assigned to the Department of Justice, Criminal Division. As a Security Personnel Specialist, George interrogated potential attorney-advisors concerning their background investigations. George examined all elements of a potential attorney-advisor hire from teen years forward with a recommendation of a hiring decision sent to a Bureau Chief. All candidates had to have a “squeaky clean” history to be hired. Although Bureau Chiefs balked at a few of his no hire recommendations, George’s documentation proved to be the deciding factor. George was considered the employee that wore the “black hat” in the office with the FAA, DOJ and the Smithsonian due to tough decision making not necessarily favorable to employees, contractors and potential hires.

George enjoyed life to the fullest, always with a smile on his face, as outdoor grill master, sous chef in the kitchen and acquired an extensive knowledge of pairing wine with food on vacation trips and many Virginia wineries, wine fairs, Sonoma and Napa Valleys, several river cruise and land tours to five European countries and South Africa. Retirement was to Pine Knoll Shores, loved the beach and working in the yard. George loved to fix things around the house. George was very active fans a volunteer with the NC Aquarium in Pine Knoll Shores, NC Maritime Museum and Friends of the Museum (Beaufort), Beaufort Historical Association, Beaufort Wine & Food, and St. Andrews Church in Morehead City.

George is survived by wife Patricia “Patty” Cahill Walls, son George Andrew “Andy” Walls (Catherine) of Leonardtown, MD, daughters June Allison Thomas (Aaron) of Asheville, NC and Honey Beth Wiggs (Dale) of Zebulon, NC, stepson Christopher Harrison Ledgard (Jennifer) of Suffolk, VA and ten grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Beaufort Historical Association, 130 Turner Street, Beaufort, NC 28516.

Condolences and life tributes may be sent to the family at www.noebrooks.net

Arrangements by Noe-Brooks Funeral Home, Morehead City, NC.