Barbara June WALSH

WALSH, Barbara June Of Santa Rosa, CA died peacefully in her home on July 17, 2015 at the age of 89. She was born in San Francisco on July 8, 1926. She was the eldest daughter of Jack and Marie (Mutti) Morrissey. She was the loving wife of the late John D. Walsh, a survivor of the Battle of Iwo Jima and a retired San Francisco firefighter. Barbara relished her youth growing up in the Mission District. Throughout her life, Barbara loved dancing, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and cooking Italian food for family and friends. She would break out her tap shoes at family parties and later danced with her cane. Barbara was known as a strong-spirited woman who kept the family together. Those that knew her admired her strength and loved her story-telling. She cherished her travels in her eighties to Italy and France with her nephew Dave Garcia and her niece and friend, Carlene Macdonald. Barbara left this world just how she lived it, sharp and eternally optimistic. Some of her final words to her family were: "I have lived a long life; I have made my peace; I have loved and been loved. I am so blessed." A special nod of gratitude to her son, Johnny, who vigilantly cared for and comforted Barbara in the last weeks of her life. She was predeceased by her siblings, David Ratto, Ethel Fusaro, and Phyllis Morrissey; and her son, James Faso. She is survived by her brother, Charles (Vula) Ratto; her three children, Joseph (Patty), Lenore Grace, and Johnny; nephews, Dave (Diane) Garcia, John (Margarite) Fusaro, and David (Jennifer) Ratto Jr.; nieces, Luella Fusaro, Joan Ratto, Jean (David) Korn, and Charlesetta Henderson; grandchildren, Angela Tejeda, Ryan and Marissa Walsh, and James, Lisa, and Michael Faso U.S.M.C.; her ten great-grandchildren and her three great-great-grandchildren. A private celebration of life will be held. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the San Francisco Firefighters Cancer Prevention Foundation at 1139 Mission St. San Francisco CA 94103, or donate at: www.sffcpf.org.