William R. Walsh Jr.

KENNEBUNKPORT — William R. Walsh Jr., 72, of Beachwood Ave., died Wednesday, May 21, 2008, in his home, surrounded by his loving family, after a courageous battle with cancer.

William (Bill) was born Feb. 9, 1936, in Lowell, Mass. He was the son of William R. Walsh Sr., and Mary (Derby) Walsh. He attended Lowell schools and graduated from Keith Academy. He graduated from Lowell Technological Institute, which is now known as UMass at Lowell. In his younger years, he was captain of his baseball and football teams in high school and in college and he played semi-pro ball in Lowell.

After college, Bill began his career in the paper industry in 1958, working for Hammermill Paper in Erie, Pa. He then went to work for Gilman Paper Co., in New York City, and Gilman, Vt; Georgia Pacific Paper Co., in Kalamazoo, Mich., and Darien, Conn.; Patriot Paper, in Hyde Park, Mass.; Detroit River Paper Co., in Detroit, Mich.; IVEX and Packaging Dynamics, in Joliet, Ill., where he retired as vice-president in 2005.

Having moved to Kennebunkport 21 years ago, Bill was a member of Holy Spirit Parish Church — St. Martha's Church in Kennebunk. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Elks, and Cape Arundel Golf Club. He enjoyed playing golf and was an avid Red Sox fan.

A devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle, Bill is survived by his wife of 50 years, Carol E. (Finneral) Walsh, of Kennebunkport; his two sons, William R. Walsh III, and his wife Chryssoula, of Kennebunk, and Michael Walsh, of Cumberland; his two daughters, Colleen Waterhouse, and her husband Michael, of Kennebunkport, and Erin Murray, and her husband James, of Farmington, Conn.; his sisters, Shirley Wilkinson, and husband Dr. Charles, of W. Hartford, Conn., and Nancy Methot, and husband Daniel, of E. Granby, Conn.; his aunt, Mary K. Walsh, of Lowell, Mass.; seven grandchildren, Patrick and Sarah Jones, Shaun, Meghan and Kaitlyn Murray, and Timothy and Michael Walsh; and several nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to thank all those who supported him and his family during his illness including the staffs at the Maine Center for Cancer Medicine, Dana-Farber, and Beacon Hospice for their excellent care.

SERVICES: Visiting hours were held Friday, May 23, at Bibber Memorial Chapel, Kennebunk, followed by a Knights of Columbus service. A funeral mass was held Saturday, May 24, at Holy Spirit Parish, St. Martha's Church in Kennebunk. Burial at Arundel Cemetery, Kennebunkport. In lieu of flowers, the family requests any donations be directed to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Stomach & Gastric Cancers Fund, 10 Brookline Place West, 6th floor, Brookline, MA 02445-7226. Arrangements in care of Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer St., Kennebunk.