Nancy Anne Walsh

Nancy Anne Walsh

Of Elmira and Burdett, NY passed away February 6, 2024.

Nancy Anne Walsh was born in Atlantic City, NJ, on August 26, 1969. Two months later she arrived at the home of her adoptive family (parents Jack and Nancy Walsh and siblings John, Robert, and Kathy Walsh) in Madison NJ. Annie was a beautiful baby. Early on she began opening her family’s eyes to new ways of seeing and doing things. It was traditional for the children and their dad to retire to the playroom when dinner was over, and the dishes were done. The children would often try to figure out new ways to play with their toys, perhaps creating a catapult to see how far a stuffed animal could fly. This kind of play was very upsetting to Annie. She thought that toys should only be used the way they were supposed to be used – the way she saw them being used on TV. Her individual insights were enlightening to all of us as we came to cherish the contributions she made, which were uniquely hers. The local YMCA had a father child program (Indian Guides and Indian Princesses) in which John, Robert and Kathy had each participated when they were old enough to attend school. Each had to choose an “Indian” name. When Annie was five years old, she became an Indian Princess, too. She chose the name Rainbow. Over the later years the name Rainbow came to be emblematic of her life – clouds and darkness penetrated with bursts of sunshine enhanced by her unique insights and loving, caring spirit. By the time Annie had reached 6th grade she was a star – a straight A student voted most popular in her class who set school records in in athletics. In gym class one day the teacher tried to teach the students to climb a rope. The teacher wasn’t doing very well demonstrating the technique. Annie stepped up, took hold of the rope, and climbed hand over hand to the top of the rope, 30 feet above the floor. By high school some aspects of Annie’s behavior had started to become worrisome. Counseling didn’t help. We didn’t realize at the time that a devastating psychiatric illness was starting to appear. After graduating from high school Annie decided to move out on her own, near home and enrolled in college part time. Her life continued to go awry. It wasn’t until she was in her early 20’s that her illness was diagnosed – schizoaffective disorder – a combination of schizophrenia and bipolar illnesses. From thereon Annie’s life became a series of ups and downs – ranging from time spent in psychiatric hospitals and halfway houses to time living on her own and being creative. During the many years that Annie lived in the Berkeley CA area she was the featured poet at various poetry readings. Through it all our Rainbow, Annie, continued to be a caring, loving, insightful, family member. Her understanding of being adopted was typical of her upbeat insights. She told her brother Robert, “I know I am in the right family – the family where God wants me to be. It just took God a bit longer than usual to get me there.” When Annie died at age 54, our Rainbow left us too soon. It is comforting to recall that in Biblical scriptures the Rainbow is God’s symbol of God’s Covenant with the world.

Nancy Anne Walsh is survived by her mother, Nancy I. Walsh, San Antonio TX; father, John M. Walsh III (Martha Pierce), Elmira and Burdett NY; brothers John C. Walsh (Marla) Charlotte NC and Robert M. Walsh (Libby Hampel), Columbia MO; sister Katherine W. Brown (Tony), San Antonio, TX; and many uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

A memorial service celebrating Annie’s life was be held on April 5 at 4 p.m. at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 1761 Northwest Loop 410, San Antonio, Texas 78213. Interment will take place at Glenwood Cemetery in Watkins Glen, NY at the family’s convenience. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, gifts in Annie’s memory be made to the National Alliance on Mental Illness or the charity of your choice.   Local arrangements are with Royce-Chedzoy Funeral Home, Watkins Glen.