Frank J Walsh, 73, of 1115 3rd Ave N, an Air Force veteran and retired parts man, died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and liver cancer Thursday at his home.
Memorial Mass is noon Tuesday at St. Ann's Cathedral, with burial in Mount Olivet Cemetery. Schnider Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
Survivors include his wife, Marie Walsh of Great Falls; daughters Mary Frances (Terry) Alexander of Minneapolis, Minn, Colleen Marie Walsh of St. Paul, Minn, Beth E Walsh of Missoula, Andrea (James) Walsh-Dowell of Great Falls, and Debbie Lee Walsh of Tomah, Wis.; a brother, Daniel R (Joan) Walsh of Bloomingdale, Ill; and 10 grandchildren.
Frank was born Aug. 8, 1932, in Chicago, Ill., the 12th child of Frank J and Elizabeth Walsh, of Wheaton ,Ill., where he was raised. He attended grade school at St. Micheal's in Wheaton and three yeas of high school at St. Patrick's in Chicago. He finished high school at Sacred Heart High School in Miles City.
Frank joined the Air Force and served one year in Korea and the other three in the states. After being discharged from the Air Force, he decided he did not want to live in Chicago, so he moved out to Montana in 1957. He started working in auto parts stores.
He married Marie LeBarron on May 21, 1960, in Great Falls.
Frank went to college in Missoula for two years, then moved back to Great Falls and went back to work for Palmer Bros. Auto Supply, for whom he worked until retiring.
After raising 5 daughters and continuing to golf, which he had taken up when caddying at the Chicago golf course, he and Marie discovered the Knights of Columbus International Golf Tournament. They went every year from 1979 through 2002. During those years, he served on the board of directors for six years, which was the accomplishment of which he was most proud. He was also active in the Knights of Columbus from 1962 until 2002. He served as Grand Knight of the local council, held a number of other positions on the board, and was active in the Fourth Degree, in which he was Faithful Navigator for a year. He also served as the Warden for the state of Montana.
Frank loved golfing more than anything else. He only gave it up in the last two years of his life. He did bowl in the winter when he couldn't golf, but found that going to Arizona for a two-week vacation in the winter really helped to keep him golfing.
Memorials are suggested to the Knights of Columbus Charities.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.schniderfuneralhome.com
(from the Great Falls Tribune, published Saturday April, 8, 2006.)