Obituary of Capt. Richard P. Walsh

Captain Richard P. Walsh, 68, of Syracuse, NY, passed away on Tuesday. Born on Tipperary Hill in 1948, he was a graduate of St. Patrick's School, Class of '66. He received his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from Syracuse University, and completed his doctoral course work in Social Psychology at the Maxwell School. He also taught criminal justice at LeMoyne College. He joined the Syracuse Police Department in May 1970, and became the Captain of Detectives in 1987, where he had a singularly distinguished career until his retirement on Saturday, March 12th, 2011, when he was honored as the Grand Marshal of the Syracuse St. Patrick's Day Parade. Among his many civil and community contributions, he volunteered with the St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee and Hunger Project, the Syracuse Irish Festival, and was a longtime supporter and volunteer for Project Children. He was also a longtime member and past president of the Onondaga County Ancient Order of Hibernians, where he also chaired the "Old Newsboys" fundraising drive for the Christmas Bureau. He was a former president of the Rape Crisis Center Board of Directors and past president of the Huntington Family Center Board of Directors. He was a communicant of St. Patrick's Parish. A die-hard fan of the New York Yankees and SU sports, Capt. Walsh was at his happiest with his family, especially his grandchildren, and driving his pontoon boat--cold beer in hand--around beautiful Otisco Lake. He is survived by his wife, Mary M. (Shortt)Walsh, his two brothers, David (Mary) and Michael (Kathy)Walsh, his sons Daniel, (Kristen) and Richard J. (Danielle)Walsh, and his three grandchildren, Riley, Reagan and Joseph Patrick Walsh. Calling Hours will be Friday, May 19, 2017 from 4pm to 7pm at St. Patrick's Church in Syracuse. The Mass of Christian Burial will be Saturday at 10am, followed by the funeral procession to St. Mary's Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Patrick's Church Heritage Fund; 216 N. Lowell Ave., Syracuse, NY 13204.