Joan L. Walsh

WALSH, Joan Heap - left her family on Sunday morning, September 25, after 82 spirited years. Born in Adams, Mass., and raised in Connecticut, Joan met the love of her life in 1951 when her college roommate introduced her to John M. Walsh, a handsome Marine from Chattanooga, TN. The two married in 1953 and two years later moved to Nashville where they raised four children and founded what would become a thriving family business, Porcelain Industries, Inc. Joan was preceded in death by her parents, Winifred Lee and Harold Heap of Darien, Connecticut; sister Patricia Warner of Norwalk, Connecticut; and daughter Jennifer Walsh of Nashville. She is survived by her loving husband John M. Walsh of Nashville; sister Dale Heap St. Pierre of Fort Myers, Florida; and brother Lee Heap of Simpsonville, South Carolina. She is also survived by son James Patrick Walsh (Mary), daughters Dale Walsh Graham (David) and Rosemary Walsh Plorin (Wayne), four grandchildren and one great grandson, all of Middle Tennessee. Along with her husband, Joan was instrumental in the early years of St. Henry’s Catholic Church. She served as one of the first presidents of the Women’s Council of the church, and was responsible for the planting of countless peonies and daylilies on the church grounds. She was a Life Member of the Ladies of Charity, having volunteered her time with the charity’s Thrift Shop for more than 20 years. She was also an active golf and tennis player at Richland County Club. A graduate of Marymount College in Tarrytown, NY, Joan was an avid gardener and scrap-booker and enjoyed reading, traveling, opera and live theatre. Visitation will be at Marshall Donnelly & Combs Funeral Home on Tuesday, September 27 from 4pm – 6pm; a rosary will be said by the Ladies of Charity at 2pm that afternoon. A funeral mass will be held at St. Henry Catholic Church on Wednesday, September 28 at 10am, officiated by Father Mike Johnston with burial following at Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens. Pall bearers will be: David Graham, Jason Graham, James Leinart, John Leinart, Wayne Plorin, Kermit (Bud) St. Pierre. The family has asked that donations be made to St. Henry Catholic Church in Nashville.

Arrangements under the direction of Marshall Donnelly Combs Funeral Home, Nashville, Tennessee.