Sister Nancy Walsh, OSF 1930-2023

Sister Nancy Walsh, OSF (formerly Sister Mary Gerard), a lifelong teacher and Franciscan Sister of the Neumann Communities, embraced death Jan. 21, 2023. She was 92 years old. 

Born in South Buffalo, Sister Nancy was the only child of Allen and Grace (O’Malley) Walsh. She attended St. Theresa’s grammar school and Mount Mercy Academy in South Buffalo. She entered the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Divine Child in 1953. Her first ministries were home visitation and religious education. She eventually earned her teaching degree and permanent certification in Special Education. For the next 47 years Sister dedicated herself to teaching children, spending most of her career at the Connors Children Center and the Buffalo Public School System teaching at City Honors. She also taught in Texas and Florida and was principal of the Divine Child Kindergarten in Williamsville for six years. Sister excelled as a teacher and after retiring from full-time teaching, she continued to tutor at the Center for Joy in Niagara Falls and St. Agnes School in Buffalo.

Sister Nancy’s love for the sick and for animals moved her to volunteer, along with Pauline Barrick, at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and area nursing homes with a therapy dog. There she offered both spiritual and emotional support to the patients and residents.

Those who knew Sister Nancy were aware of her love of reading. She was always learning. Her other main passion was swimming. The highlight on one of her vacations was swimming with dolphins. 

Sister’s wake will be held at Amigone Funeral Home, 5200 Sheridan Road on Sunday, Jan. 29 from 2-5 p.m. It will close with a wake service at 4:30 p.m. A funeral Mass will be held at SS. Peter & Paul Church, Williamsville on Monday, Jan. 30 at 9:30 a.m. Interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery in Lackawanna.  The funeral mass will be livestreamed – go to https://link.edgepilot.com/s/f78a973c/mN3_XTnOu0ia7YcG_jnjzw?u=http://www.ssppchurch.com/ and click on the livestream button.