Rachel H Walton, 77, born July 15th, 1947, passed away February 1st, 2025, from heart complications. Rachel was born to Joel Witmer Walton and Maybelle Frances Hurley in San Diego, the first of two boys. Rachel grew up in Hawaii and California. She had a love for westerns and her Native America friends. Some of this came about after her trek across southern Utah by horse back when she was just out of high school. Rachel was married to Lynn for 30 years and had one daughter. Courtney had blessed Rachel with two grandchildren, Luca and Ione.
Rachel began her career in criminal justice in 1968 working as a reserve officer for Arcata Police department and in 1971 hired onto Humboldt Sheriffs office, Rachel was a patrol deputy for 15 years before being promoted as an investigator in the Humboldt County Attorney’s office. This was the start of her expertise in Cold Case homicide. She worked for 6 years on a case where she was able to vindicate a native American young man of a rape and vindicated a young native American boy of rape. He was successful in convincing the Governor of California to award a full pardon on the young boy. Rachel has published two text books on Cold Case homicides.
Rachel earned her Doctorate of Education in Organization and Leadership from San Francisco State University in 2005 where she was the class valedictorian. After joining the USU faculty in 2007, Rachel initiated and led an assessment of unsolved homicides in Utah between 1965–2005. Her professional expertise was widely sought throughout the US and Canada by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Institute of Justice, and the Canadian Royal Mounted Police. She was a respected colleague and beloved faculty mentor who positively influenced the lives of countless USU students.
Rachel was proceeded in death by her brother, Joel Walton, and her parents. She is survived by her daughter, Courtney (Jason) and two grandchildren. She also leaves behind one of her greatest companions, Summer, her Yorkshire Terrier. Rachel came to Price in 2007 and immediately began making friends with her genuine warm and friendly personality. There was no one more generous and sincere than Rachel. She touched the lives of a multitude of individuals throughout Price, USU, and the state. She moved to Price alone and proved you do not have to have a blood connection for a person to consider her family. She was loved and admired by all who knew her.
She will be deeply missed by family, Summer, friends, colleagues, and the community.
In lieu of flowers please donate to the Utah State University Criminal Justice Majors Scholarship fund. Address and directions will be published on Mitchell Funeral Home website.
Celebration of Life, Thursday, February 13, 2025, 11:00 a.m., Ascension St Matthew’s Episcopal Church (522 Homestead Blvd) in Price. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. Committal Service, Cliffview Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to Mitchell Funeral Home of Price and Huntington where friends are always welcome daily and may share memories of Rachel online at www.mitchellfuneralhome.net