Obituary of Maureen L. Walsh

Maureen Lang Walsh, 87, passed away peacefully on February 5th, 2024, having lived a fantastic life. Anyone who knew "Mo" knows she had a huge heart, was the first to volunteer, was generous with her time, and was always up for an adventure. Whether volunteering at church, planning a happy hour, road-tripping with her family and friends (and so many solo ones that only her mechanic can count), or traveling the globe, her years were filled with love, laughter, and so much fun. An avid traveler, careers in teaching, IBM and real estate, knitting, painting, sewing, and volunteering gave her much joy throughout her life. She shared her experiences and passion for life through her stories. Oh, the stories. They were as animated and vibrant as she was and never followed a clear path—the main one leading to another memory, peppered in with a few current facts, tangent to another memory (or two), and then back to the main thought—Mo kept us all on our toes and entertained with her stories. Born on August 23rd, 1936, to James & Margaret Galvin in Binghamton, NY, Maureen's childhood centered around her family (so many stories about Jim & Peg, her sister, Sue, her brother, Tim, and all the aunts, uncles, and cousins). She followed the footsteps of many in her family by studying education at Oneonta College. She married David Lang, and they headed straight out to Aberdeen, where David reported for duty with the army. Soon after, they were sent to Okinawa, where she continued teaching. She taught for over 27 years, K-6th, and even used her teaching skills to be a guide in the Disabled Skiing Program at Greek Peak. While working at IBM, she met Edward Walsh, whom she married in 1992. Maureen and Ed enjoyed traveling between their homes in Binghamton, NY, and St Augustine, FL. Her faith was essential to her, and she spent much of her time volunteering near and far. Maureen was a Lay Minister commissioned by Bishop Cunningham, an Eucharistic Minister, and a volunteer at Danielle House and St Francis House. She also took annual trips for nine years with Missionaries of the Poor in Haiti and Jamaica and traveled to the Holy Land twice with Sue. Maureen loved to travel and traveled extensively: France, Ireland, England, Greece, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Medjugorje, Egypt, Japan, Mexico, and Jamaica. Most recently, she shared an afternoon with her granddaughter, who had just returned from a college semester abroad, and they compared their European adventures, many in the same spots but 60 years apart. They both shared some great stories that day. She enjoyed summers in Westport, Ontario, Easters in Hilton Head, SC, and winter skiing at Labrador, Greek Peak, Hunt Hollow, and Whiteface Mountain (she was still going at 75!)—countless games of tennis, rounds of golf, and hands of bridge. Maureen centered her life around her family. Holiday traditions, vacations, skiing weekends, and summers at the lake all included her family. She cheered at countless kids' sporting events, knitted hats, sweaters, and blankets, sewed clothes, quilts and, every year, made Christmas pajamas for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren (no easy feat with the large family she had—7 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren!). She trekked across the country twice—the last time with a grandchild. And Mo was tickled pink to be back on a college campus recently, bringing her oldest great-grandchild to summer orientation. Maureen had a life well lived and led by example with her family. She instilled her faith, compassion, zest for adventure, and sense of wanderlust to her kids, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. The lives she has touched throughout her life are likely much more than we will ever know, but one thing is for sure: we are all better people for having had her in our lives. Maureen is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, David and Deborah Lang; their children, Ryan Lang, Jennifer Canders, and Jill Craw, her daughter and son-in-law, Debra and Carl Guy; their children and grandchildren, Kelly and Patrick Whoriskey, Bridget, Erin, Brendan, Shannon, John, Grace, James, Patrick, Joseph, Marie and Michael Whoriskey, Megan and Eric Fontaine, Nathan, Connor, and Thomas Fontaine, Katie and Tony Maione, Anthony, David, Clare, Genevieve, Hannah, and Lucie Maione, Chrissa and Jeremy Bobak, Bartholomew and baby Bobak, her daughter, Lori Lang, her daughter and son-in-law, Molly and Neil Hirsch; their children, Anna and Henry Hirsch, her brother and sister in law, Tim and Susie Galvin, and several nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her parents, James and Margaret Galvin; her husband, David Lang (1973); her sister and brother-in-law, Suzanne and Fred Cook; her husband, Edward Walsh (2002); and her nephew, Mark Cook. A Funeral Mass will be offered at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Highland Avenue, Binghamton on Monday, February 12th at 12 noon (although she joked for years that she would be late for her own funeral, so take that information as you will). Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Johnson City. The family will receive friends at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, from 11 a.m. until 12 noon. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Maureen can be made to Mercy House of the Southern Tier, 212 N. McKinley Avenue, Endicott, NY 13760, Danielle House, 160 Riverside Drive, Binghamton, NY 13905 or to Lourdes Hospital Foundation (Hospice) 169 Riverside Drive, Suite 103, Binghamton, NY 13905. The Mass will be livestreamed at www.sta-sp.org