Anthony William Walsh

Walsh, Anthony William TROY Anthony William Walsh died Saturday, April 18, 2009 at Van Rensselaer Manor Nursing Home in Troy, N.Y. after a long and courageous battle with Parkinson's disease. He was born in Troy on October 25, 1933 and was proud to be a resident of South Troy. The second oldest son of Edward J. and Alice Egan Walsh, he is predeceased by his beloved wife of 36 years, Ira Brooks Walsh and his brothers, Edward J. and Francis X. Walsh. He is survived by his devoted daughter, Suzanne Elise Walsh and son-in-law, David Richardson; his loving sisters, Alice (Karl) Schabinger and Marianne (Richard) Haldeman; and caring brother, James Walsh; as well as many adoring nieces and nephews. Walsh attributed his success in life to his education and his upbringing in South Troy. He put himself through college at State University of New York at Albany while working on the railroad. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Albany. He eventually went on to Portland State University, Portland, Ore. for his doctoral work. His dissertation topic focused on how the people of South Troy created a stable community where residents of modest means, like Walsh, could grow and flourish. Walsh was a true renaissance man according to the late Joseph Bulmer, former president of Hudson Valley Community College. Walsh retired from teaching at Hudson Valley Community College in 2002 to care for his cherished and ailing wife, the late Ira Brooks Walsh. At Hudson Valley, Walsh taught everything ranging from economics to sociology to writing to physician's assistants courses. He was known for his outstanding teaching skills and, in 1992, was recognized with the State University of New York Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching. Walsh did not limit himself to excelling in the classroom. He also was a prolific scholar and was called upon to present papers in locations as far away as Belgium, Ireland, Jamaica and Australia. In 1986, long before anyone was thinking about either personalizing education or using computers in any serious way, he presented a paper on, "Personalizing Macroeconomics Instruction Via the Computer." In 2004, when he presented his final paper on his experiences of more than 30 years in distance education, a young professor in the audience summarized Walsh's work thusly, "No one has done the kinds of innovative things that Dr. Walsh has for the past 30 years...and we are still not doing them." Walsh has always been a leader of ideas and maintained a curiosity about the world. Throughout his career, he presented papers on topics as diverse as urban economics, health care administration, multinational banking, race, class and gender and a topic always sure to shock family, friends and guests at cocktail parties - social nudism. Walsh enjoyed scholarly topics, popular culture and writing papers with his wife and daughter. The final paper the three of them wrote together was presented at Oxford University. Walsh was a very early volunteer in the Peace Corps. He joined, he said, because he was inspired by President Kennedy's call to service. Walsh spent his Peace Corps time in Nigeria teaching. His love of travel and teaching took him to Australia where he taught at Queensland University of Technology and to Puerto Rico and the Interamerican University. In the United States, he taught at Marquette University and SUNY Oswego and was an adjunct at Skidmore College's College Without Walls, Empire State College and the New School. He also worked for a time as a budget analyst for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Walsh enjoyed his work and he enjoyed being a world traveler. He always talked of the importance of continuing to be useful even as his Parkinson's disease progressed. While living in Pittsburgh with his daughter and son-in-law, he volunteered to help international students learn English. During the last few years, he was able to attend the Pittsburgh Symphony on a regular basis, which he enjoyed immensely. He relieved excellent medical care at the Benedum Geriatric Center in Pittsburgh, where he said he was treated as if he were a millionaire. The extended Walsh family is grateful to Benedum for their service. In his continuing commitment to teaching and being useful, Walsh has donated his body to science. A memorial is being planned for late May. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations by made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation in memory of Anthony Walsh so that the foundation may continue their excellent research on Parkinson's disease: the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Attn: Gifts, Church Street Station, P.O. Box 780, New York, NY 10008-0780.