Fredericka Mickey Wash Dorothea Philipp Walsh

1917-2011

Fredericka Dorothea Walsh, 94, of Lenexa passed on November 4, 2011, at her home, Garden Villas of Lenexa.

She was born April 19, 1917, to Gustav A. and Anna L. (Kiehnhoff) Philipp on a farm near Wathena, Kan. She lived near St. Joseph, Mo., and the Kansas City area most of her life. Her husband's career took her to Oklahoma City, Okla., and Springfield, Mo.

Mrs. Walsh was the 12th of 13 brothers and sisters. She was known as "Mickey," a nickname given to her by her sister, Gertrude. The whole family worked on the farm and Mickey would say, “We were poor during the depression but didn’t know it; we never lacked anything.” Optimism hallmarked Mickey’s life.

Mickey was a 1938 graduate of Wathena High School. Mrs. Walsh worked for several years at the former Westab, now Meade Corp., and Quaker Oats Co. in St. Joseph during World War II. Mickey was a longtime member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in St. Joseph.

She married Thomas John Walsh on May 2, 1946. The couple met pre-war when Mickey was working as a nanny for a St. Joseph family, where she earned $1 per day. Mr. Walsh was a milkman at the time. After the war, he worked for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. until his death on July 28, 1973.

A devoted mother and grandmother, Mrs. Walsh will be remembered for time spent with family and friends, the care and generosity she gave to those around her and especially her kind and gentle spirit. She was a devout Lutheran, a dog and bird lover, an ardent Kansas City Royals baseball fan, a bingo and Scrabble player and an effective bowler with a "Brooklyn" curve.

Mrs. Walsh was preceded in death by her parents; husband; four sisters, Agnes Fischer, Gertrude Folsche, Anna Benitz and Lydia St. Clair; and eight brothers, Carl, Donald, Armond, Reinhold, Anton, Herbert, Theodore and Melvin.

She is survived by two daughters, Margaret Ann Montgomery (spouse of Carl Montgomery) of Overland Park, and Dorothy Jean Clopton (spouse of Douglas Clopton) of Lenexa; two sons, James Philipp Walsh (spouse of Connie Walsh) of Overland Park and Thomas John Walsh III (spouse of Cecilia Walsh) of Lenexa; 11 grandchildren, Sandra Louise Walsh of Hilton Head Island, S.C., Debra Marie Walsh (spouse of Joel Martin) of Charlotte, N.C., James Philipp Walsh Jr. (spouse of Rachel Parker) of Washington, D.C., Ann Elizabeth Montgomery of Overland Park, Joel Frederick Walsh of Fayetteville, Ark., Ellen Christine Montgomery of Hutchinson, Kan., Christina Alexandra Walsh of Tulsa, Okla., Derek Thomas Clopton of Gardner, Kan., Karen Michele Montgomery of St. Louis, Mo., Katie Len Clopton of Lenexa and Samuel Walsh Clopton of Lenexa; and one great-grandson, Shelby Carl Kissell of Overland Park. Mickey is survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held at the McGilley & Hoge Chapel, 8024 Santa Fe Dr., Overland Park, KS on Monday, Nov. 7, from 6pm to 8pm with a program held at 7:30pm. Funeral Services are at 10:30a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 8, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in St. Joseph, MO. Burial will follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery in St. Joseph. Condolences may be left at www.mcgilleyhoge.com. Memorials can be made in her name to St. Paul Lutheran Church in Saint Joseph.