Elsie A. Walsh

Elsie Angela Walsh, 87, of Sloatsburg, NY, passed away on May 18, 2024, surrounded by her family, at Valley Hospital, NJ. Born in Scranton, PA on March 1, 1937 she was the daughter of the late Enrico and Maria (Righi) Gasparri. Elsie was a graduate of the Scranton State Hospital School of Nursing and she worked as a registered nurse in Atlantic City NJ and Philadelphia, PA, before marrying and becoming a full time homemaker.

The youngest of three daughters born to Italian immigrants from Scheggia, Perugia, Italy; Elsie grew up loving movie musicals, her mother’s homemade gnocchi, and reading; which became a lifelong passion. She was a great swimmer and a high school cheerleader. Times were tough, but she always cherished the memories of her family and her neighborhood and the sense of community which is so hard to find today. Out of that sense of selfless community, she decided to pursue a career as a registered nurse, and in 1958, while in nursing school, she met a University of Scranton sophomore, who would change her life forever.

Anyone who knew Elsie, knew of her love for Billy Walsh. “He is so handsome’ she would always say and how he was “the love of her life and one of kind”; a trait which turned out to be unquestionable. They married in 1961 and embarked on their life together living in Fort Benning, GA during Bill’s US Army service and eventually settled in Sloatsburg, NY with two daughters of their own. She was a great wife and mom, instilling in her daughters the confidence to live life on their terms and giving them the tools they would need to navigate the world. She was their driving instructor, swim coach, home economics guru, therapist and life coach. There would be parties with the neighbors, summer trips and family celebrations.

A diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis would slowly shrink Elsie’s world and she and Bill set out to travel to all the places they had wanted to visit before it wasn’t possible—including their dream trip to Hawaii and several long stays at Disney World; her favorite. As her illness and its ravages took its toll, she never lost her hope that she would someday stand up again and fought relentlessly--just to live--up until her last moment; so that she could be with the family she loved so much. Now, Elsie finally has her strength back and is skipping home with her friends again, singing songs from musicals…

She is survived by her beloved husband of 63 years, William J. Walsh and her two daughters, Debra Walsh (Mario Imbrogno) and Jacki Walsh and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. She was predeceased by her big sisters, Vera Gatto of Reading, PA and Ann Sabetta of Scranton PA who she missed greatly.

A service and inurnment will be held on Saturday June 29th at 12 PM at Maryrest Cemetery, located at 770 Darlington Avenue, Mahwah, NJ 07430.

In lieu of flowers, Elsie’s family requests that contributions be made in her memory to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. https://www.nationalmssociety.org/how-you-can-help/ways-to-give