James Patrick Walsh was the third son of Laura (Kelly) and Leon Walsh. He graduated from Detroit's Catholic Central High School in 1958 and the University of Detroit in 1963, just a week prior to his marriage to Ann Maguire on June 22.

Jim, 1964

Leon and Laura with Jim and Ann, June 22, 1963

After a brief stint with an insurance company, Jim began working for the Ford Motor Company and eventually ended up in their glass division. Ann and Jim lived on Ward in Detroit, just around the corner from Laura and Leon's home on Littlefield.

Ann and Jim's house on Ward in Detroit

In 1970, Jim was transferred and moved the family to the Cincinnati suburb of Forest Park where they lived until 1973 when they moved back to the Detroit area suburb of Clawson, just two months after Maureen was born, Jim and Ann's fourth child, following Kevin (1964), Kathryn (1966), and Colleen (1968).

In 1978, Jim left Ford for the small company, Tempered Glass Specialists out of Ohio. He served as their sales rep for small tempering furnaces for glass. In 1980, Jim joined the glass division of Guardian Industries and remained with them until his death in 1997.

Bob and Jim (back) with Jerry and Laura at Jim and Ann's house, 1983

In 1988, Jim and Ann bought a cottage near northern Michigan's Charlevoix, a town he had been visiting since high school with the Olshove family. After their marriage, Ann and Jim rented a weekly cottage on Lake Charlevoix nearby where their purchased cottage, Toad Junction, would be. It became an important retreat. Driving over 60,000 miles per year for work, Jim had no problem driving five more hours north with Ann just for a weekend.

Jim was known for his great kindness but also his debatable puns. He had three jokes that were so bad, he was only permitted to say them on his birthday. #1: If someone told him it was snowing. "You know, that's all white." #2: (Any joke involving a nun who is getting out of the "habit," etc) #3: "Just 'cause my head's made of stone, don't take it for granite."

He was a popular uncle and constantly was referred to by his children's friends as the "coolest dad, because he actually took the time to listen to what you had to say." At his funeral, someone that Jim had helped free their car from the snow came to pay her respects. He loved researching geneology and visiting relatives. In 1993, while on a business trip in West Palm Beach, he called his mother's brother, Jerry Kelly, and kindled a relationship that prompted more visits and phone calls over the next three years.

On September 26, 1997, Jim died in a car accident on his way back home from getting his hair cut. Just that morning, he had attended morning prayer group with Ann at St. Columban's Parish. He and Kevin had just seen their first Tiger game together in over 10 years just three days earlier.

Jim was able to play with Aidan for over two years and was able to hold his newest grandchild, Abigail for five weeks before his death. He is missed terribly as his many grandchildren grow, but they still laugh at references to Grandpa Jimbo's bad jokes and silly moments, such as proving how strong the lids on Tupperware containers were by holding the orange juice upside-down over his head--you can imagine what happened.

--Kevin Walsh, 2/28/05

1. Hollywood Katie by sleeping Jim 1968. 2. Jim with Kevin and Katie, 1967. 3. Jim's family visiting Leon and Laura in Winter Haven (fresh from Disney World) in 1972

Jim, Maureen and Ann at the Olshove Cottage, Ironton, MI 1983.

Holy Sepulchre Cemetary, Southfield, Michigan