William L. 'Bill' Walsh

William L. 'Bill' Walsh, the son of Joseph and Josephine (Brennan) Walsh, was born June 8, 1925, in Emmetsburg, Iowa. His childhood years were spent in Emmetsburg where he attended school and graduated from Emmetsburg Catholic High School in 1943. After graduation, Bill enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1944, and served during WWII and the Korean war. He was one of the original crew members on the USS Midway. Bill was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1951. In 2009 he was recognized for his service to his country by being invited to attend an Honor Flight trip to Washington, D.C. Following his military service, Bill attended college and received two Master's Degrees. On August 11, 1956, Bill was united in marriage to Gladys Connolly in Elk Point, South Dakota. Bill taught in South Dakota and Nebraska, before becoming the principal of Willow Community High School, where he taught for 28 years. He and Gladys volunteered at Mid Sioux Opportunities in Cherokee, Iowa, for over ten years. During their service, they were honored as 'Volunteers of the Year'. Bill was a member of the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Quimby, Iowa for 47 years, where he was proud to be the first eucharistic minister. He was a current member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Cherokee, Iowa, and a member of the Knights of Columbus. Bill enjoyed reading, working puzzles, golfing, and attending various sporting activities in the area, especially those of his grandchildren. On Wednesday, February 12, 2010, Bill passed away at Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City, Iowa, at the age of 84, after a brief illness with cancer. He was preceded in death by his infant son, Timothy William Walsh; parents, Joseph and Josephine Walsh; brother, James Walsh; and sister, Betty (Walsh) Fry. He is survived by his wife, Gladys A. (Connolly) Walsh; five children: Ann (Willie) Osborne of Sac City, Iowa; Timothy J. (Lee Anne) Walsh of Carlsbad, California; Amy (Felton) Brown of Houston, Texas; Jane (Kent) Roepke of Salix, Iowa; and Molly (Jim) Walsh of Arlington, Tennessee; 15 grandchildren: Sara (B.J.) Kolbe, Scot (Rhiannon) Osborne, Jeff Osborne, Patrick Walsh, Annabelle Walsh, Josephine (Josie) Walsh, Anthony Brown, Zane Brown, Caitlin Brown, Jake Brown, Megan (Josh) Johnston, Jaclyn Roepke, Allison Roepke, Kristina Walsh, and Rebecca Walsh; four great-grandchildren: Zachary Kolbe, Ty Kolbe, Katelyn Kolbe, and Talan Osborne; one sister, Mary (Dale) Simonson of Scottsdale, Arizona; as well as other relatives and many friends.

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