Former Scarsdale Resident Nora Patricia Walsh Passes Away at Age 87

Nora Patricia WalshNora Patricia Walsh, 87, of Jenkintown, PA, died on January 19, 2024 surrounded by family.

Nora was a fiercely dedicated and loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. Her quick wit and occasionally piercing glance are legendary. She was kind, courteous, and thorough in whatever she did. She and her husband John raised their six children to be the same.

Nora loved travel, painting (viewing and doing), apple turnovers, cooking shows, BBC mysteries, Jeopardy, and MSNBC. But the thing she loved most was spending time with the people she loved. She was loyal; if you were in need, you wanted Nora on your team.

Nora was born in NYC to Patrick and Bridget (Shea) Dowd on New Year’s Eve 1936. She was preceded in death by John, her husband of 60 years, her parents, her sister Mary Leone and her brother-in-law Jim Walsh. Nora is survived by her children Aileen Schast (David), Christopher (Corinne), Kerry Walsh Skelly (Jerry), Maura, Meghan, and Tim (Kristine); her grandsons Christopher, James, Nicholas (Ashley), and Patrick (Alysha) Walsh; her granddaughter Julia Schast; her sister Kate (Jim) Brown; her brother John Dowd; her sister-in-law Kay Walsh; 13 nieces, nephews, and godchildren; three grand cats and two grand dogs.

A proud graduate of Mt. St. Ursula in the Bronx and then the Katherine Gibbs School, Nora worked at Cook-Waite Labs in NYC and then the Youth Guidance Center in Worcester, MA, before becoming a full-time mom. When John and Nora returned to NY in 1961, they first lived in Riverdale for 11 years and then in Scarsdale for 43 years. She later worked at the Junior League in Scarsdale, NY; the Hebrew Home for the Aged in Riverdale, NY; and regional offices of ABB and finally Bayer. Nora earned a B.A. summa cum laude from Fordham University in 1990. Nora and John moved to Rydal Park in Jenkintown, PA in late 2015.

Nora’s family wishes to thank the 3rd floor staff at Rydal Park Medical Center and John Silwa and the care team from Bayada Hospice for their kind and gentle care for Nora over these past weeks.

There will be a Memorial Mass at Immaculate Conception Church at 606 West Avenue in Jenkintown, PA on Friday, February 16 at 11:30 am. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Special Olympics or Catholic Relief Services would be appreciated.