OBIT – Ruth Walsh

MISSION/LAGUNA VISTA – Ruth Walsh, 90, passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2017, in Harlingen.

Mrs. Walsh was born on March 14, 1927, in Detroit, Texas, to Clyde Cecil Venable and Lola Kitchens Venable. She came to the Rio Grande Valley at the age of 20 to become a teacher in Mission, where she met and married her husband Edgar Antoine Walsh Sr.

They owned and operated Palms Drive-In in McAllen, Texas Theatre in Pharr and Plaza Theatre in Donna. Later, she took over the bookkeeping duties in the family business for Walsh Lumber Co. until the late 1970s. She continued keeping the books for her son in the pharmacy/commercial real estate businesses in the Laguna Madre area until 2010.

During the late 60s and early 70s, she completed her college degree in education, with a minor in music and graduated Suma-Cum Laude. She began her teaching career at Mission Public Schools and was a 1st grade teacher at St. Paul’s Catholic School before moving on to Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School in McAllen as a 5th grade teacher.

Survivors include her children, Eileen Walsh and Edgar Walsh Jr.; siblings, Ann Graham and Van Venable; and two grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 69 years, Ed Walsh Sr., and siblings, Felix Walsh and Nell Jackson.

A funeral mass was held on Jan. 3, 2018 at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church officiated by Rev. Pat Seitz. A graveside service follows at 3:30 p.m. at Valley Memorial Gardens Cemetery in McAllen.

Serving as honorary pallbearers will be her nephews, Alan Jackson, Mike Jackson, Dan Jackson, Joe Venable, John Venable, John Pate, Tommy Vessels and Stephen Vessels.