Messing, Gertrude Ann Walsh, of North Hill, Needham, formerly of Wellesley Hills, died on October 15, 2012 at the age of 89.
Beloved wife of 65 years of Richard F. Messing, retired Senior Vice President of Arthur D. Little in Cambridge. Gertrude was an Executive Secretary at the same firm, where the couple met.
Gertrude raised her six children in Wellesley Hills. She will be greatly missed by Mark and his wife Tina of Philadelphia, Jane and her husband Vincent Perla of Scottsdale, Robert and his wife Priscilla of Wellesley, Nancy and her husband Dr. Ely Brand of Ft. Lauderdale, David and his wife Diane of Chicago, and William and his wife Tina of Seattle. She was the cherished grandmother of 11 and great grandmother of 1.
Gertrude was the daughter of Mary Alice Flaherty and James H. Walsh, reporter for the Boston Record and later General Manager of the Boston Chamber of Commerce. She was the third of the six Walsh sisters, who were raised in Brookline and West Roxbury. Gertrude attended Edward Devotion School, Notre Dame Academy, where she was Class President, and Chamberlayne College. Gertrude was a beloved aunt to the many Walsh cousins, who meet annually to renew family ties.
Gertrude inherited her artistic ability from her father, a notable painter of Irish landscapes, and her uncle, James Charles Flaherty, an architect and watercolorist who specialized in Boston scenes. She drew and painted portraits and landscapes throughout her life. Her love of flowers was evident in her work, as well as in her participation in the House and Garden Club of Wellesley where she held positions including Secretary and President. One of her proudest accomplishments was helping to oversee the planning and landscaping of Central Square in Wellesley, in front of the Main Post Office. She was a member of the Landscape Critics Council as well.
Gertrude's many writings, sketches and memoirs will be cherished by her family. A lifelong music lover, she enjoyed playing the piano and, earlier, the saxophone. She enjoyed her winters in Highland Beach, Florida and her summers at Granliden on Lake Sunapee, where the family still holds a reunion each year.
Funeral from the George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home 477 Washington St. (RT. 16) WELLESLEY Friday Oct. 19th at 9:00am. Funeral Mass in St. Paul Church, 502 Washington St. Wellesley at 10:00am. Relatives and friends kindly invited. Visiting hours Thursday Oct. 18th from 5:00-8:00pm. Interment Woodlawn Cemetery, Wellesley.