Obituary of Rosemary Stoddard Walsh

Rosemary Stoddard Walsh, 84, of Mount Laurel, New Jersey, formerly of Middlesex, New Jersey, entered into eternal rest on Monday, June 9, 2014. Rosemary was born in Liberty, New York to William and Dorothy (Driscoll) Stoddard on August 13, 1929. She is predeceased by her husband of 34 years John J. Walsh, and her two brothers William Stoddard and Timothy Stoddard.She attended a two room schoolhouse in Ferndale, and then St. Peters grammar school and Liberty High School. She attended University of Albany and then St. John's University where she graduated with a degree in social work in 1951. She worked as a teacher for the Middlesex Borough schools for 20+ years and especially loved helping students understand math.After retirement in 1990, the volunteering aspect of her life took off. She was a hospital volunteer at Somerset Medical Center, worked tirelessly on many projects at Our Lady of Mount Virgin Church, served as a School Board member in Middlesex for 21 years, and gave her heart to the Middlesex County Education Commission whose students were a source of constant delight. Her strong work ethic and drive were a force no one denied.Rosemary is survived by her four children; Rosemary Walsh of Milford, Pennsylvania and her children David, Katie and Meg Palermo; Timothy Walsh and his wife Ellen (Tyler) and their children Kristen, Kevin and his wife Ashley, and Timothy; Maryellen Johnston and her husband Donald and their children DJ and his fianc Sarah Thompson, Dillon and his fianc Victoria Gomez, and Mary; and John Walsh and his wife Kerry (Hanagan) and their children Mary, Maureen and Jackie, and her numerous loving nieces, nephews and cousins.Rosemary had a deep faith which guided her through her life. She had a great sense of adventure and loved to travel around the world. She was lucky enough to travel to all seven continents! She combined her love of children, travel, and volunteering when she spent 3 weeks at an orphanage in Romania giving those children some extra one on one attention while working to improve the facilities. Her family was her greatest treasure and she was dearly loved by them. Rosemary will remain in our hearts forever.Visitation will be held on Monday, June 16, 2014 from 3:00 pm until 7:00 pm at the Middlesex Funeral Home, 528 Bound Brook Road, Middlesex, NJ 08846. A prayer service will conclude the visitation at 6:30 pm. A funeral mass will be held at Saint Peters Church in Liberty, New York on Tuesday, June 17, 2014 at 11:45 am. Burial will follow at St. Peters Cemetery, Liberty, New York following the funeral Mass.Donations in Rosemary's name may be sent to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.