Father William K. Walsh, a beloved priest of the Diocese of Sacramento for more than 70 years, died on March 2, 2021 in Rio Vista. He was 95.
Father Walsh, pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Rio Vista from August 1987 to April 1994, retired on April 30, 1994 and was named pastor emeritus of St. Joseph Parish. In his retirement years he resided in Rio Vista and assisted over the years with Masses at the parish.
Prior to serving at St. Joseph, he was pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Winters from April 1973 to August 1987; of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Colusa from September 1970 to April 1973; and of St. Dominic Parish in Colfax from August 1959 to September 1970. He served as assistant pastor of St. Rose Parish in Sacramento from January 1958 to August 1959; of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Colusa from November 1949 to January 1950 and again from October 1956 to January 1958; of St. Joseph Parish in Redding from January 1950 to October 1956.
A native of Mooncoin, County Kilkenny in Ireland, he was one of a family of nine with five sisters and three brothers. He attended the local primary school and then went on to secondary level education in Kieran’s College Seminary. He joined the seminary in St. Kieran’s to study for the priesthood. He was ordained on June 5, 1949 and the following September left Ireland to go to the Sacramento Diocese. He sailed from County Cork to New York – a journey that took three weeks in that era. He stayed with relatives (the Quinn/Lyons family in New York) for a period of time before continuing his journey by rail from New York to Sacramento – which was a four-day journey to reach his final destination.
Father Walsh was preceded in death by his sisters Margaret, Kathleen and Alice, and his brothers James, Pat and Laurence. He is survived by his sisters Mary and Eileen, nieces, nephews, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, relatives and friends.
Bishop Soto will preside at a funeral Mass on Friday, March 19, 2021 at 11:30 a.m. in St. Joseph Parish, 130 South 4th Street, Rio Vista, CA 94571. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery in Rio Vista.
A vigil service for Father Walsh will be celebrated on Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. in St. Joseph Parish. A visitation will precede the vigil from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. in St. Joseph Parish.