Patrick N. Walsh , Phd

Patrick Noel Walsh, loving husband and father of five, passed away on Sunday, June 25th, 2023, at the age of 92.

Pat was born December 7th, 1930, in New York City to Thomas and Kathleen (Hughes) Walsh, both immigrants from County Cork, Ireland.   He was one of only 126 high school seniors in the nation to be awarded the four-year Pepsi-Cola college scholarship, and went on to receive a BS, MS, and PhD in Chemistry from Fordham University in New York City, followed by post-graduate work at Ohio State University.   Pat was a research chemist for his entire career, first at Union Carbide in New York and then at Union Carbide and Praxair in Indianapolis.   He was instrumental in the development and improvement of tungsten-carbide and ceramic coatings, essential to many industrial applications.   But he would rather be remembered for his life and not his accomplishments.

It was while working at Union Carbide in New York that Pat met the love of his life, Maria Anna Rivert, whom he married on September 29, 1962.  Pat and Maria raised a family of five, all also happily married: Tom (Mary), Mia (Chuck) Bingham, Ed (Jennifer), Elizabeth (Tom) O’Gara, and Chris (Bridget).  He has 14 grandchildren: Erin, Brian, John, and Ty Walsh; Abby, Natalie, and Andrew Walsh; Katie, Brody, and Molly Walsh; and Danny, Claire, Tommy, and Sean O’Gara.  He was predeceased by his older brother, Martin, and survived by his younger siblings, John and Ellen.

Pat was a dedicated father and grandfather.  He never missed a school play, coached as many of his children’s CYO and Little League teams as he could, and went to his grandchildren’s events whenever possible; it was one thing he truly missed when he could no longer drive.   He also was a devout Catholic.  He volunteered time at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in a variety of capacities, including weekly hours of prayer as part of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration.

Pat was known for his quick wit, his kind and compassionate spirit, and his dry sense of humor.  He was interested in history, gardening, travel, the Jumble, Sudoku, puzzles of any kind, tennis (playing weekly until after his 85th birthday), golf, puns, sharing anecdotes and memories with his siblings, Irish music and dance, and reading… always reading.   He also really loved cookies.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Pat’s name may be made to Heart of the Nation at heartofthenation.org, supporting TV and online Catholic Mass for those unable to attend in person; Catholic Relief Services at crs.org; or St. Vincent de Paul Indianapolis at svdpindy.org.

Visitation for Pat will be Thursday, July 6, 2023, from 4:00–8:00 pm at Flanner Buchanan Washington Park North, 2706 Kessler Blvd. West Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46228.  Mass of Christian Burial will be Friday, July 7, 2023, at 10:30 am at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, 3354 W. 30th St., Indianapolis, IN 46222.   Interment will be at Our Lady of Peace Cemetery immediately after Mass.   Online tributes and condolences may be shared at www.flannerbuchanan.com.