Edward Joseph Walsh of Mattapoisett died Friday, February 11, 2011. He was 89.
Born in Cambridge, he grew up in Belmont, attended Belmont High School and graduated in 1943 from Holy Cross College.
Immediately following the attack on Pearl Harbor, he committed to serve in the United States Navy, earning his commission at the Midshipman School at Columbia University. He served three years on active duty aboard the Destroyer Escort USS Cockrill. After escorting several trans-Atlantic convoys, the Cockrill spent the rest of the Atlantic campaign on anti-submarine patrol, assigned to the USS Bogue carrier group.
The Cockrill transferred to the Pacific Ocean in 1945. Lieutenant Walsh became the ship's Executive Officer at the war's end and was one of the first servicemen in Tokyo after V-J Day.
After the war he married Joan Henry of New York City. The couple moved to Natick and then to Wellesley where they raised four sons and a daughter and were involved in youth activities and their church, St. James the Great.
Mr. Walsh founded the Rex Paper Box Company of Boston and Braintree. With a work force of over 100, he was a pioneer in modern employment practices. His innovations were featured in the 1970 book “4 Days, 40 Hours.”
After retirement, he enjoyed a vigorous life in Mattapoisett that focused on sailing, cabinet making, and gardening. As a sailor, he made many blue water transits between Buzzard's Bay and the Bahamas including solo crossings of the Gulf Stream. He competed in the 1983 Marion to Bermuda race with his four sons.
Besides his wife, he is survived by his sons, Edward Jr. of Cocoa Beach, Florida and Belgrade Lakes, Maine, Philip of Sutton, John of Southborough, Thomas of Mattapoisett; his daughter Jane of Belmont; twelve grandchildren; and ten great-grandchildren.
His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, February 18th at 11 AM at St. Anthony's Church, Mattapoisett. His family will receive visitors on Friday morning from 9-10:30 AM prior to the Mass at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Catholic Charities, 51 Sleeper St., Boston, AM 02210, or the Pine Street Inn, 444 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02118.