Catherine Mary (Solan) Walsh of Dedham, MA passed peacefully on February 10, 2024 after a long illness, often in the company of family in her final days. She was 87 years old.
She was for 63 years the loving and adored wife of David Ignatius Walsh of Dedham, MA; cherished mother of Steven M. Walsh and his wife Sheryl of Falmouth; Dr. John F. Walsh and his wife Kristi of Bridgewater, VA; Suzanne M. Guiod and her husband Mark A. of West Granby, CT; Julianne M. Francis of Gardner, MA and her late husband James Francis; and beloved grandmother of Jennifer, Sarah, Jessica, Andrew, Breckin, Ian, Caroline, Kristen, Matthew, David, Thomas, Jacqueline, and Michelle. She was also blessed with several great-grandchildren.
Catherine was born August 1, 1936 in Brighton, MA, to Irish immigrant parents, and graduated from Cambridge City Hospital School of Nursing in 1957. After a brief career, she raised her family in Dedham, becoming a part-time nurse and full-time mother and grandmother with great pride and love for her children and grandchildren, treasuring her time with each of them. She served a term as president of the PTA for the old Ames School in Dedham, at the time the oldest continuously running school in America. She was a great counselor to many over the years. Since the 1970’s she was frequently seen in the company of her beloved husband David at Boston University hockey games. Her passion was crocheting and knitting, and her family members will continue to enjoy her many afghans, pillows, sweaters, and other accouterments that have long out lasted the test of time. Later in life she took up painting, and many of her beautiful works of art hang in the homes of her family members.
Catherine loved to travel. She traveled back to Ireland with her father to his home in County Mayo, and enjoyed it so much, she returned with her husband David. She and David also traveled to France, and at home in the U.S., they made several cross-country road trips with the children while David worked summers for Honeywell in Phoenix, Arizona.
Throughout her life, Catherine was a devout Catholic with a beautiful spirit, much loved by friends and family alike, and always with a kind word or uplifting thought to make one’s day more pleasant. Her sweet smile and kind heart will be forever missed.
Visiting hours on Friday, February 16, from 4-7 pm at the George F. Doherty & Sons Wilson-Cannon Funeral Home, 456 High St. Dedham MA. Funeral service will begin there on Saturday, February 17 at 10 am followed by a funeral Mass at St. Mary Church, Dedham at 11am. Relatives and friends are kindly invited. Interment in Brookdale Cemetery, Dedham. In lieu of flowers expressions of sympathy may be made in Catherine’s memory to the Jimmy Fund (www.jimmyfund.org).