Mary Ellen Walsh

Mary Ellen (Mulqueen) Walsh, 87, passed away peacefully on January 16, 2025. 

Born in Youngstown, Ohio, Mary Ellen was the only daughter of Joseph and Beatrice (Knauff) Mulqueen. She attended Saint Dominic School, Ursuline High School, and Saint Elizabeth School of Nursing. Her years in Catholic schools cultivated Mary Ellen’s lifelong devotion to the Church and to her faith. 

Mary Ellen’s adventurous spirit led her to join the U.S. Air Force where she traveled to San Antonio, Texas, to serve in the operating room at Lackland Air Force Base. For years she recounted stories of her days in the service, remembering fondly her experiences and escapades as a young nurse. During that time, Mary Ellen met Daniel Walsh. Because she outranked him, Dan had to salute her, a fact of which she reminded him for years. The two married on December 29, 1962. Dan and his red-headed, blue-eyed bride moved to Ohio shortly after their marriage.

Mary Ellen continued to work as a nurse while raising three children. She was actively involved as a parent volunteer at her children’s schools as well as in the parish. She participated in the Youngstown Cursillo Movement and met with her small spiritual group weekly for over two decades. 

Mary Ellen spent her high school summers with girlfriends at Geneva-on-the-Lake and always dreamed of living there one day. Her wish was fulfilled when she and her husband purchased a lakefront home in 1990. She loved her morning walks with her best friend, Annette Brunner, and appreciated the beautiful evening sunsets on Lake Erie. Her favorite indulgence was a hot fudge sundae from Eddie’s Grill. 

In retirement, Mary Ellen and Dan spent winters in Clearwater, Florida. They enjoyed the people in their neighborhood, Mission Hills. Mary Ellen loved to sing her “oldie” favorites and Irish tunes as Dan accompanied her on his banjo. She was well known for her rendition of “Second Hand Rose,” a tune she belted out with a moment’s notice. In 2023, Mary Ellen relocated to North Carolina to be closer to her family. 

Mary Ellen loved babies and children and rose to the occasion when she became a grandmother. She leaves four granddaughters to cherish her memory: Amanda and Emily Walsh, Maria Pompili Wagner (Patrick) and Caroline Pompili. The girls remember days of baking with Gram, whirling on the Geneva-on-the-Lake rides and frequenting Madsen Donuts and Eddie’s Grill for lunch and treats. 

She is also survived by two daughters: Suzanne Walsh Pompili (Vincent) and Mary Walsh Knadler, and her daughter-in-law, Franzi Walsh. Mary Ellen was predeceased by her husband of 61 years, her son, John T. Walsh, and her only brother and dearest friend, Rev. John Mulqueen. 

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Therese Catholic Church CHAPEL, 217 Brawley School Road in Mooresville, North Carolina, on Saturday, January 25, 2025 at 10 A.M. Burial will take place in July in Ashtabula, Ohio.