About Us
Written by Tim & Mell Walkup
Hello, we are Tim & Mell Walkup and are the proud parents of two beautiful and talented kids, Rachel and Isaac. We met in the fall of 1982 while on vacation in AR to visit my mother and have been together ever since. Mom took the credit for picking him out. Like many couples, we have had our ups and downs; major moves, career changes, financial difficulties, medical dilemmas, and surgeries. None of those experiences can compare to the moment we learned of Isaac’s passing.
Isaac was a good student. He graduated from Texas State, summa cum laude with a BA in Exercise Sports Science. That was followed by acceptance into the Army/Baylor Physical Therapy program where he graduated with his doctorate. His internship was at BAMC/San Antionio. This was followed by a tour to Kuwait and upon his return he entered into another program with Army/Baylor. This time it was to get his Masters & BA in Hospital Administration and Business Administration. After graduation, internship at Johns Hopkins Hospital, MA. When his time was completed, he was assigned to Fort Huachuca, AZ as the Director of Special Services (Medical). He was well liked by his staff and peers. Everything looks pretty impressive, doesn’t it? What we didn’t know was the turmoil in his private life. The series of poor relationship choices, depression, isolation, deplorable living conditions, insomnia, financial difficulties, and failure to promote due to weight gain…just a few items that we are aware of. The last time we physically saw Isaac was summer of 2021. He was mad at the world and we didn’t know why.
Our lives and our world were about to change. We were awakened by a Sheriff’s Deputy at 2:24 a.m. on December 22, 2021 with information to call Fort Huachuca, Isaac had passed. He was due to come home in just a few days; Christmas presents were in the room with him. This very kind, professional Deputy stayed until he knew we were okay. Looking at our Ring later, we could see he was sharing our trauma. It was the first time we realized the burden that our Law Enforcement carried. I wish I could hug this officer and let him know we are okay and thank him for doing this difficult task with so much kindness.
It was out of this experience that Cpt. Isaac’s Angels began to grow. It is a way to give back to the men and women who carry unseen burdens. As a long-term county employee, I am privileged to receive permission for the use of a county facility on busy/tourist holidays. We are very mindful that this is not our space, and leave it as we find it. Since this is a county building on a holiday, it is not open to the public. The majority of foods are made from scratch with a rotating menu. Items are monitored and replenished as needed. Self-service with to-go boxes provided as needed. We have expanded to include our Corrections Officers and Dispatch. These wonderful people are part of the loop that are often overlooked. Cpt. Isaac’s Angels has helped us heal. We look forward to the summer holidays, seeing familiar faces and making new friends with each event.
Rachel is a tremendous blessing in this ministry. She has a culinary degree and owns Blanco Brew in Wimberley. We often brainstorm and are thankful for her insight. Rachel often contributes with baked good or needed meat items such as chicken or bratwurst. Tim & I are not caterers, we have been fortunate to assist and have learned may tips and tricks from Rachel.