MADISON – Waid ‘Chip’ Ramsey entered the Army straight out of high school in July 1988.

In 2011, Captain/Company Commander Chip Ramsey was serving in Afghanistan with Army National Guard, Special Forces Group Airborne from Birmingham. On Aug. 4, 2011, Ramsey was killed in action during hostile combat. He was 41 years old.

“Chip was a Captain and Company Commander when he was killed,” his former spouse Mary Erickson said.

“Mary keeps the kids very involved in the Survivor Outreach Services program ensuring their father is never forgotten,” Kerrie Branson said. Branson is Program Manager for Survivor Outreach Services, Army Community Service on Redstone Arsenal. The SOS program assists Gold Star Families, “who are the surviving families of fallen service members. These families lost a family member while he or she was active duty in the military.”

“In April, Mary remarried to Jon Erickson, who retired from the U.S. Army and is very supportive of the children,” Branson said. “It’s really great when these surviving kids can have another male role model/father figure in their lives who ensure their biological fathers (and heroes) are always remembered. Jon is very supportive of his wife and stepchildren staying involved in Survivor Outreach Services and observances to honor their father.”

Captain/Company Commander Ramsey completed basic training at Fort Benning, Ga. He was stationed at Fort Richardson, Alaska.

“He switched over to National Guard after he returned to Alabama. He was deployed twice — in 2003 to Afghanistan and then in 2011 to Afghanistan,” Mary said.

“Chip’s dad transferred to Arab while Chip was in Alaska. Chip moved to Arab after he switched to National Guard. We moved to Huntsville in 2003 since we both were working in Research Park. Chip moved around a lot as a kid, but I think he would have said Red Bay was his hometown,” Mary said.

Captain/Company Commander Ramsey attended the University of Alaska and finished his degree at Athens State University. “He graduated with double bachelor’s degree in contracts and accounting. He worked at SAIC as a Senior Pricing Analyst,” Mary said.

Bradley Ramsey is 13 years old, and Megan Ramsey is 11. They live in Hampton Cove and attend Hampton Cove Middle School. Bradley and Megan will serve among Grand Marshals from Gold Star Families in the Madison Street Festival Parade on Oct. 7 at 9 a.m. in downtown Madison.