Theresa "Teddy" (Stoddard) Walsh

Florida - Theresa (Teddy) Stoddard Walsh, died on May 1, 2010 at Memorial Hospital West in Pembroke Pines, Florida, after a courageous battle with cancer. She left us very peacefully, surrounded by her family.

Theresa was born in Portland on April 4, 1943, the daughter of Ray and Margaret (Esposito) Stoddard, and lived most of her life on Munjoy Hill. She attended Cathedral School and graduated from Portland High School in 1961. During her high school years she participated in the drum and bugle corps and enjoyed traveling with the group.

Theresa loved working with children and most of her career was spent in child development. While her children were still young she decided to run a day care center in her home. For many years she also worked for Catholic Charities Maine, Family Child Care, until she retired . But because she still wanted to be around children, she then took a part time job at Cathedral School doing administrative work, which she did until just a few years ago. Working at the school also allowed her to spend her summers with her granddaughter Allison, who meant the world to her.

Theresa was a communicant of The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, where she was also very involved with the church.

Theresa loved to cook and was very good at it. It was one of the things she loved to do with her granddaughter and also with her Aunty Bette during her time in Florida. They spent their days watching cooking shows, making up their own recipes, and even writing a cookbook to share with family and friends.

Theresa’s other interests included gardening, crafting and spending Sundays in the summer at Kettle Cove with her family. She loved to travel, although she wanted to do it more. Over the years, she was able to make two trips to Italy to visit family, and she also loved driving around the New England area with her friends, finding new places to eat and shop.

Theresa was predeceased by her loving husband, Frederick L. Walsh, her son Shawn P. Walsh and two brothers, Raymond Stoddard and Richard Stoddard. She is survived by and will be missed dearly by her daughter, Celeste Freeman and fiancé Michael Robin of Gray, her son Coleman Walsh of Windham, her granddaughter, Allison Freeman of Gray, and her brother Lawrence Stoddard and wife Kathy of Scarborough.

Aunty Teddy will be fondly missed and remembered by her many nieces and nephews, and great nieces and nephews, who all loved her dearly, and she will forever be in the hearts of her many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a time of visitation Thursday May 6, 2010 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Jones, Rich & Hutchins Funeral Home 199 Woodford St. Portland.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10a.m. Friday May 7, 2010 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception 307 Congress St. Portland.

Interment will be in New Calvary Cemetery South Portland.

Please visit www.jonesrichandhutchins.com for additional information and to sign Teddy’s guestbook.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:

Grace on Wings,

P.O. Box 455,

Plainfield, IN, 46168 - graceonwings.org