Obituary of Reverend Martin J. Walsh, Jr.

Reverend Martin J. Walsh, Jr., 58, of Peabody died peacefully on Thursday June 21, 2007, with his family at his side, at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers. Born on October 21, 1948 in Salem, MA, the son of Deacon Martin J. Walsh, Esquire and Elizabeth G. “Bess” (Anketell) Walsh of Peabody, Father Walsh grew up in Peabody. He attended St. John's Elementary School and graduated from Bishop Fenwick High School in 1966. In the fall of 1966 Fr. Marty entered St. John's Seminary and was ordained a diocesan priest on May 18, 1974. He most recently celebrated mass with family and friends on the thirty-third anniversary of his ordination. Fr. Walsh spent over seven years at his first assignment at Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted in Waltham, MA. His next assignments included St. John's parish in Swampscott and The Immaculate Conception Church in Malden. On October 1, 1984 Father Walsh was named Chaplain of Malden Catholic High School where he served for eight years until he accepted an assignment at Sacred Hearts Church in Malden. Most recently, Father Walsh was assigned to St. Joseph's Church at Union Square in Somerville. While a seminarian, he would work summers at the P.M.Cahill and Sons Funeral Home in Peabody. During his assignments, Fr. Walsh was very proud that he established garden clubs at almost all of the parishes where he served. He most enjoyed preparing and decorating the church altars during holy days, particularly during the Christmas and Easter seasons. His love for gardening was exhibited at most parishes with flower gardens at the parish rectories and his vegetable garden at home in Peabody. Father Walsh also enjoyed skiing and cooking, and was an avid traveler to his ancestral and friends’ homes in Ireland. Above all, it was his joy of being with his parishioners or entertaining family and friends that was most special to Fr. Marty. In addition to his parents of Peabody, he is survived by his siblings and their spouses, Eileen W. and J. Donald Spence of Ipswich, Louise W. and Benjamin Chase of Sutton, Eugene F. and Andrea Walsh of Marietta, GA, Mary E. and Michael Skerry, Thomas P. and Mary Walsh and Robert J. Walsh all of Peabody. Father Walsh also leaves behind eleven nieces and nephews, several cousins and his aunts Helen Kolago of Avon CT, Teresa Kilfoyle and her husband Joseph, and Joan Moquin of Peabody. He is predeceased by his sister-in-law Sharon L. Walsh, five uncles, David and Francis Walsh, Eugene Anketell, Samuel Kolago and Norman Moquin. Fr. Marty will be received by his fellow priests and the community at St. Ann’s Church, 140 Lynn St., Peabody on Tuesday June 26, 2007 at 3:30 P.M. where he will lay in state from 4 to 8 P.M. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. A Concelebrated Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday June 27, 2007 at 10:00 AM at St. Ann's Church, 140 Lynn St., Peabody. Burial will be at Cedar Grove Cemetery, Peabody. Memorial contributions may be made in his memory to the Kaplan Family Hospice House, 78 Liberty St., Danvers, MA 01923.