A career stretching nearly four decades, spanning a life seemingly cut too short

“Walter was an exceptional man who dearly loved his job,” said Mark Bost, former district forester for NCFS District 10. “He was the single most dedicated employee I’ve ever supervised. I don’t remember him ever missing a day or calling in sick. He gave everything he had to his job.”

Bost -- who retired from the NCFS in 2023 -- first met Cross in 1998, and while Bost held many positions throughout his career with the NCFS, Cross remained the assistant county ranger in Randolph County for most of his. Bost frequently spoke of the impact Cross made on those around him, no matter where he was or the task at hand. He recalled one particular dispatch to Western North Carolina -- during the notorious fall fire season of 2016 -- in which Cross served as a strike team leader for a crew of young firefighters. Many crew members from that assignment returned to tell Bost what a great mentor Cross was to them throughout the incident.

Bost eventually found himself directly supervising Cross, promoting him to county ranger. After spending many years working together, dispatched to wildfires and sharing various mutual interests, Bost and Cross became close friends. Years later, after hiring Cross into the role of Randolph County ranger, Bost would also help lift him from that role while serving as a pallbearer.

“Walter knew every path, old homesite and interesting place in the county,” Bost explained. “I get a sick feeling every time I pass Old Cox Road knowing that he’s not there to talk to now.”

Cross' reach stretched throughout Randolph County, providing technical assistance to countless landowners and administering cost share assistance programs while guiding them throughout their woodland plans to meet forest management objectives. With his tested experience and steady presence in the field, Cross earned and refused to relinquish the confidence so many had in his ability.

“When you’re burning large tracts of highly combustible native grasses, especially when those fields come within a hundred feet of your house and surround it on all sides, you have to have absolute trust in the person conducting that burn,” said Ruth Ann Grissom. “We had that level of trust in Walter.”

Grissom and her sister are two of the many private landowners throughout Randolph County who receive NCFS programs and services. She recalled a time in late 2023 when a crew led by Cross carried out a prescribed burn operation the day before Christmas Eve, ensuring the task would be complete before the end of the year.

“To me that speaks volumes about his dedication as a professional and his ability as a leader. That’s a rare combination and Walter embodied it,” added Grissom. “He was always incredibly supportive and patient with us as we navigated the maze of applications and forms we needed to submit for cost share.”

Grissom stated that while she wishes she would’ve spent more time talking with Cross, when she and her sister hear the indigo buntings, common yellowthroats, prairie warblers and bobwhite quail surrounding their forestland, they’ll think of him.

“It wasn’t incredibly uncommon that a fire would pull Dad away from a ballgame or band recital,” said Jamey. “My memories with my dad are completely seeped in his service. I picture him in his forest service uniform. I smell the faint scent of smoke in his hugs. I hear his pager going off. He loved his work, he loved Randolph County, and he loved the North Carolina Forest Service.”

Jamey, now a public information officer for the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, was previously a news reporter in the Wilmington area. During her time as a reporter, she covered a wildfire in late summer 2022 that was managed by the NCFS. While her father was not assigned to this incident, she ran into several familiar faces from his many years of service. She also recalled a time when her dad missed Thanksgiving in 2016 due to the Western North Carolina wildfires previously mentioned by Bost.

“It was maybe the first time I was old enough to recognize the sacrifice this job demanded, and Dad's willingness to make that sacrifice for the good of the public, the land and this state,” she explained.

Some families have seen multiple generations wear forest service green over the years with fathers, sons and daughters, among many others, all serving. While it’s not uncommon to see personnel stem from the same bloodline, multiple generations serving alongside one another is rare and unique. Cross’ son and youngest child, Ben, was hired as the assistant county ranger for Rockingham County in August 2024, presenting a distinct opportunity for father and son to carry out a shared passion.

“I saw my dad give so much to be a steward of nature and to protect what needed protection,” said Ben. “I came to associate that with being a man and it was an easy decision to join the NCFS based on my values after graduating college.”

While the career overlap was brief for father and son, -- spanning roughly only 10 months -- Ben remembers a special instance that he will be forever grateful for: being on prescribed burn crews led by his father, the burn boss.

“I saw a different side of him, one entirely competent in this element I was unfamiliar with,” Ben further explained. “I was fortunate enough to have my dad as an excellent example of high work ethic, positive attitude and unfailing integrity to model myself after.”

Thirty-seven years far surpasses values such as leadership, professionalism and service. It’s a commitment. During a routine district meeting in May 2024, Cross was asked -- having already worked 36 years with the NCFS at the time -- if he had any plans to retire in the foreseeable future. With a raised eyebrow and slightly squinted eyes he replied softly, “why would I want to do something like that?”

Shortly after admission to the hospital, Cross showed signs of advanced cancer. For him and his family, and those who closely worked with him, the diagnosis was unexpected and shocking. Ten days later, Cross passed. He was 57.

“My dad didn’t even flinch when he received the news that he had cancer,” said Ben. “Over the final week and a half, he was only emotional when he was overwhelmed about having to leave his family and loved ones.”