Rother Walston Ferrell

Rother Walston Ferrell, 38, of Fayetteville, passed away on Friday, August 18, 2023.

Walston was a graduate of both Pine Forest Senior High School and Old Dominion University.  He was an exceptional soccer player at both and with the 1984 Fayetteville Force Select team that won five state championships.  He stayed very active in the sport by continuing to play and officiating.  

Walston taught fifth grade at Long Hill Elementary School in 2009 and was a well-loved teacher by his peers and students.  He then joined the US Air Force Reserves and was an Honors Graduate from their Basic Military Training and a Flight Element Leader at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, and then worked in Client Systems as an IT Professional. He received further education from The Community College of the Air Force in Electronics and Telecommunications at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, Mississippi.

He then worked with General Dynamics as an Associate Technician in Denver, Colorado at Buckley AFB.  He stayed in the Denver area working with both Aurora Public Schools as a Tier II Technician and then with Celerity IT/DOD as a Security Readiness Reviewer.

Walston returned home to Fayetteville and directed the computer lab at Pine Forest Middle School.  His last job was with Carolina Electronics Co. travelling all over the country doing new IT system installations and upgrades.

Walston was smart, intelligent, and loved to read.  He loved playing Jeopardy! with his Grandma Appie.  He also loved the outdoors, fishing, and being with his family, especially his niece and nephews.    

Walston’s service will be held on Saturday, August 26, 2023.  The visitation will begin at 11 am and the service at noon.  Everything will take place at the family’s residence, 651 Carver Falls Road, Fayetteville NC 28311.  The family encourages you to dress casually.

Walston is survived by his parents, Tony Ferrell and Laura Ferrell; brother, Jackson Ferrell and his wife, Kait; niece, Reese; nephews, Bryson, Weston, and Brooks; maternal grandmother, Appie Walston Bolton; his uncle Tommy Bolton and wife, Gail, aunt Beth Bolton Kessel and husband, Dean, aunt Amy Bolton Parker and husband, Paul, uncle Jack Ferrell, and uncle Mike Ferrell and wife, Susan; and many cousins and extended family.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Tip Bolton; paternal grandparents, Jack and Rosalie Ferrell; and aunt Beth Black Ferrell.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Dunklin Memorial Church in Okeechobee, Florida,  https://www.dunklin.org/ or https://www.dunklin.org/donate.