I was extremely saddened when I heard the news (yesterday). It came as a big shock as I heard the progress that was being made. I was thinking on when I would be able to next get together and play some of the Lebowski or the POTC that are some of the prized machines in his collection.

I first met Chris at the show in 2013. Another contributor to the show had a machine open being serviced. I approached him about ownership and maintenance. We got to talking about machines in general when I mentioned my wasted youth playing Whirlwind. He mentioned that someone was selling a Whirlwind at the show. Who was that person ... it was Chris. That's when I met him for the first time. I can still remember (and hear) him asking (as I was looking at the machine) ... "So are you going to buy it?"

That was June 15, 2013. I still have that machine. I believe the expression is "it's bolted to the floor".

Chris, my friend, you will be missed but never forgotten. Every time I play that machine I will be reminded of you.

Oh man, sorry to hear this! I met Chris when I bought his STNG with the beautiful Nebula powder coat. His stories were as interesting and fun as his pinball collection: he rubbed elbows with industry insiders and had some rare and nice machines.

I didn't know how involved he was in the show. Condolences to all his good pinball friends! Will surely be sorely missed.

That sucks. Didn't know him personally, but I loved the show that he helped create. Really sorry to hear this.

Very sorry to hear this! My brother LouMatt and I met Chris (and Byron) in 2012 at the Chicago Expo. Paul Mandeltort helped to organize shows to start talking with each other, so that we could share successes l, failures, and hopefully not schedule on top of each other.

We were always impressed with the NW show and how much community involvement there was.

RIP Chris! May your legacy of the NW show continue to be a success as well!

I only got to know him thru some half dozen ZOOM calls of which we were both participants,
that an informal west coast pinball group had been conducting on a bi-weekly basis during the past 12 months.

I am sure he will be missed by many.
He was a big part of the NW pinball scene and had a big big impact.

RIP Chris

He also had the Pinside ID of @krunch,
not to be confused with the deactivated account ID of ChrisVW on pinside ,
who is apparently a completely different person from Seattle, on pinside from a few yrs ago.

Sorry for any confusion, my bad.

The original (one and only) Chris Walsh will still be missed.

Loved that guy and his wonderful family. So many hours spent talking at the show, on the phone or in his shop. My heart is broken as is my wife’s who worked in a similar field and talked shop with Chris. A kind, gentle and generous soul. I miss him already.

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This is a terrible loss to those of us in the pinball community here in the Pacific NW. I considered Chris to be a friend and mentor, and I always looked up to him for the way he treated everyone with such dignity and respect. One of the finest people I had the pleasure and good fortune to know. Chris, you will be sorely missed.

- TimMe

AKA

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RIP

Oh, man. I used to go hang with Chris a Sunday or two a month to twiddle around on his machines with a couple other goofballs, play pinball, shoot the shit, and eat Jimmy Johns. The gathering was known as Pinball Fuckery. Since Covid we had not been getting together other than to take him some new speakers for the garage last July. My last game of pinball with him that day was on Big Lebowski in which I got crushed. Chris was most excellent.

My first memory of him was wondering around the lobby of the NWPAS in Tacoma when a guy on an electric scooter drove up with a little girl standing on it with him, he looks up at me and says, "Hi!". We talked a little about the show and what I was doing there when the little girl (his grandaughter) had obviously had enough and hit the gas on the scooter and away they went! This is the general spirit of the show that he helped create; friendly, inclusive and fun!

My condolences to all of his family and friends, he will surely be missed. Please let me know if there will be any get together with his pinball friends, I would like to be there to share in his memories.

Been attending the NW Show since the beginning (even pre-Seattle in Oak Harbor). Wasn't a close friend of Chris' but would always have a number of good talks with him over the weekend each year. Chris and his wife (Carol IIRC) were always among the first locals we'd see on arrival, and they always made my son and I feel so welcome. My condolences to his family, and all the NW Show pinball family.

I have a nice memory of Chris from the last show... He came by the tournament area and asked how I was doing, after a quick chat he asked if I liked Almond Roca and proceeded to give me a couple of large packages . I was confused as I was thinking a piece not packages, but in his straight ahead style he said "I give them to people I like, and I like you." I let him know the feeling was mutual.

That's how I'll remember Chris: cruising around the venue making sure everything was running smoothly and truly engaging with people in a respectful way that made them feel valued. He will be missed.

Very sorry to hear. Chris was a big part of the Northwest show every year and a nice guy!

My deepest condolences to his wife and family.

I met him a few times at the show. He was a very nice guy and will be missed.

Chris was a friend and a true asset to the local pinball community. He was a driving force behind the NW pinball show, and always had time to talk pinball. It always cracked me up to see him laugh. My condolences to his wife Carol and his family. Rest In Peace Chris, you I’ll be missed.

Michael

I first met Chris through a mutual friend. We worked every NW Pinball show from the Oak Harbor beginnings to the last show. In the early days he provided financial support in addition to his management duties. There would be no NWPinball show without him. We lived far apart but it was always great to catch up at the show meetings and the show itself. In the later years he rode a scooter around the convention center with “Peanut”, his beloved granddaughter riding shotgun. That is how I choose to remember him. He will be missed but always fondly remembered.

Denny K

Alan and Chris RIP.