Edward Joseph Walsh went to be with his Lord and Savior on the evening of December 30th 2024 after a long, courageous battle with an inoperable brain tumor. His loving wife Rhonda Rhodes Walsh and his good friend Connie Wagner Thomas were at his side.
Ed was born on January 21, 1960 in New York to Michael (born in Ireland) and Josephine Walsh (also of Irish decent). He was the fourth of five boys, only a minute older than his identical twin. He had a happy, adventurous childhood growing up in Saint James, Long Island, New York. After graduation from high school the family relocated to Tomball, Texas.
With a lifelong thirst for education, Ed attended several schools of higher learning including Texas Tech University and Denver Automotive Diesel College, where he met his lifelong friend, Dan Fitzgerald in 1978.
Ed followed in his father’s footsteps, working as a machinist for several years before starting his own custom machine shop. After the economic downturn in the early 2000’s Ed seized an opportunity to work at the Port of Houston. Working long, hard hours, he advanced through various positions from the docks to the warehouses to the container yard, always maintaining A class status up until his passing. Ed was dedicated to his work, getting up before 4:00 am, driving the 60+ miles to work and always getting home after 8:30pm or later 5-6 days a week. Ed’s work ethic and ability to always get along with everyone help build a large work family of friends. If Ed didn’t have something nice to say, he didn’t say anything at all.
He was a devout Catholic attending St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in the Woodlands, Texas and proud member of the Knights of Columbus. Ed frequently volunteered at the church for Lenten Fish Fry Fridays, donated time to a Habitat for Humanity house project, he escorted disabled kids on bowling outings as well as volunteering at The Woodlands Art Festival, The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion and Hope and 45.
Ed had many interests including a love of aviation and cars. He followed his oldest brother,
Jim, taking flying lessons and soloing at Weiser Airpark in Cypress. He owned and worked on many cars since high school, including a Ford Model A, Crosley, Nash, and multiple models of the Chevrolet Corvair. Ed was a longtime member of The Houston Corvair Club and was the club President in 2015. He and Rhonda enjoyed multiple monthly activities with this close-knit group.
Ed had a love of history, travel and reading and was always very eager to talk about his varied interests. Ed’s love of travel took him on four pilgrimages to Italy and The Vatican. He traveled to Scotland, England and Ireland, the home of his father, where he met many extended family members.
His love of history, particularly Catholic history, led him to attend numerous classes at the Italian Community and Cultural Center and at St. Anthony’s. During his long daily commute, he listened to books, podcasts and Ted Talks. He also enjoyed listening to detective fiction with author James Lee Burke’s detective Dave Robicheaux series as well as Ian Rankin’s John Rebus series being two of his favorites. He was so excited to have lunch at “Dave’s” hangout, Victor’s in New Iberia, Louisiana, as well as drinking a beer at The Oxford Bar in Edinburgh Scotland, where John Rebus frequented.
The love of his life, Rhonda Rhodes and Ed were inseparable after their first date. They had known each other since 1987 when Rhonda purchased the house next door to his parents. Always saying “we should go out sometime” but never really asking her out until his good friend Connie Wagner threatened to call Rhonda and ask her out for him. Their common love of airplanes, cars, history, museums, animals, travel and photography made them the perfect couple. They enjoyed car shows, eating out, visiting The Guild Shop, taking strolls around The Woodlands Waterway and attending plays in Conroe at both the Owen and Crighton Theaters. They spent many weekends and vacations visiting museums in Houston, Galveston as well as Brenham, Huntsville, San Antonio, and Kerrville. They traveled to Throckmorton, Texas to pick up their puppy Jack. They travelled to New Iberia, New Orleans, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Tunica, Mississippi for a horse show, Memphis, Tennessee; San Diego and Palm Springs, California. On these excursions they always enjoyed attending Mass. Ed and Rhonda traveled to Scotland and England and were planning a follow-up fly /drive adventure to visit the Scottish Highlands, the Shetland and Orkney Islands.
Ed loved his cats! He fed several cat colonies at work giving many names like Molly, Maggie, Freddy the Freeloader and Bernadette. He worked to find homes for the new kittens since a Container yard cat’s life is a tough one. He even left Rhonda his two house cats Buddy and Tiger Kitty!
Ed is survived by his wife, Rhonda Rhodes Walsh along with many family and friends. Ed gave generously to several charities. Finally, think of Ed when you read, The Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole. This was one of Ed’s all-time favorite books and he would like you to enjoy it with him in his new heavenly home.
In lieu of flowers please send donations to his favorite charity: Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary Torre Argentina Donations.
Graveside services will be held on January 10th at 1pm at Carmen Nelson Bostic Cemetery, 12317 Holderrieth Rd, Tomball, Texas. After graveside services you are invited to join us from 2 to 3pm to share stories and appetizers in the Bull Room at Pecos Grilling Company, at 28900 SH249 Tomball, TX.
Special thanks to bagpiper, Richard Kean.
Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not
so much seek to be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen
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