Obituary of Edgar A. Walsh Sr.

Edgar Antoine Walsh, Sr. of Laguna Vista/Mission, Texas

Ed was born on June 24, 1920 in Mission, Texas, passed away on December 05, 2017 in Harlingen, Texas at the age of 97.

He was the son of John Edgar Walsh and Marguerite Doyle Walsh.

Ed was a WWII veteran, serving in the Army Air Corp as a pilot in the training command. After the war he was in the U.S. Air Force Reserve for 15 years.

In civilian life, he and his wife owned and operated The Palms Drive-In in McAllen, the Texas Theater in Pharr and The Plaza Theater in Donna. He acquired Walsh Lumber Co.  from his father and operated it until the late seventies. He partnered with his son in the pharmacy/ commercial real estate business in the Laguna Madre area until 2010, when he retired at the age of 90.

His life was full of public service. He served as a Mission Volunteer Fireman, the Mission City Commission, the Mission School Board, and for over 20 years, the Mission Hospital Board. He joined the Confederate Air Force, later renamed the Commemorative Air Force, where he piloted the B-24 in most air shows. He was a life member of the American Legion Post 498, of Port Isabel, Texas where he was finance officer for many years.

He is preceded in death by all his siblings, Thomas “Tommy” Walsh, Mary Vessels, Gerald Walsh, Sister Mary Margaret Walsh, Ethyl Pate, Loretta Walsh and Frank Walsh.

Ed is survived by his loving wife of 69 years, Ruth Venable Walsh, his 2 children; Eileen Walsh and Edgar Walsh Jr., daughter-in-law, Mary Jane Walsh as well as his 2 granddaughters; Leah Walsh and Haley Walsh.

Honored to be serving as Honorary pallbearers are Mark Walsh, Frank Walsh, Tommy Vessels, Richard Walsh, John Pate, Carol Tanner, Gordon Rome, William “Whitey” Thomas and Scott Martin.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, December 10, 2017 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Thomae Garza Funeral Home, 395 South San Houston in San Benito, Texas and visitation will continue in the evening from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. with a Holy rosary recited by his cousin Father Pat Seitz at 7:00 p.m. at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, 705 South Longoria St. in Port Isabel, Texas

Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, December 11, 2017 at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church officiated by Father Pat Seitz with Full Military Honors conducted after the mass by the American Legion Post 498 of Port Isabel and the V.F.W. Post 2035 of Brownsville, Texas.

Graveside Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 at Valley Memorial Garden Cemetery, 3611 North Taylor Road in McAllen, Texas.

You may sign the online guestbook and send words of comfort, flowers, or sympathy cards to the family of Edgar Antoine Walsh Sr. at: www.thomaegarza.com.

Funeral arrangements entrusted to the care of Thomae-Garza Funeral Home, 395 South Sam Houston St. in San Benito, Texas.  www.thomaegarza.com.