Dominican Sister of Peace Margaret (Sr. Justina) Walsh (93) died on at the Mohun Health Care Center in Columbus, OH, on Sunday, December 15, 2019. Born in Peekskill, NY, to Mary Butler and Patrick Walsh, Sr. Margaret took a round-about route to religious life. She studied business at Columbia University, and eventually became the President and General Manager of a successful plumbing and heating business.
God had other plans for Margaret Walsh, however, and at the age of forty, she entered the Congregation, completing her formation with many women half her age. She took this situation in stride, as was her way, and made her final profession in 1971.
Sr. Margaret earned her Bachelor of Arts in Business from Ohio Dominican University in 1970, and her Masters of Business Administration from Xavier University in Cincinnati in 1980.
First Corinthians tells us that we are all given certain gifts to serve the Church, and Sr. Margaret certainly made use of hers. She used her experience as a businesswoman and her education to benefit both the Congregation and our ministries. She served as Director of Development and as Treasurer for the Congregation. She also served as Treasurer and Business Manager for Albertus Magnus College in Connecticut, and as the Director of Purchasing and Office Services for Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, OH. She began her final ministry of prayer and presence at the Mohun Health Care Center in 2015.
Sr. Margaret was not just a businesswoman – she was deeply spiritual and loved her friends and family. She enjoyed living in Community and taking part in its activities, loved reading, and had a wry sense of humor.
Sr. Margaret was also a gifted story-teller and entertained her Sisters at Mohun with tales from her ministries.
Sr. Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, Patrick and Mary Butler Walsh, and her brothers, Patrick, Thomas, Martin, William, John and James, and her sister Mary Jane Wietsma. She is survived by her sister, Helen Walsh and many nieces and nephews.
A Vigil of Remembrance was held at the Dominican Sisters of Peace Motherhouse Chapel on December 20, 2019. The funeral liturgy was held at the Dominican Sisters of Peace Motherhouse Chapel on Saturday, December 21, 2019, followed by burial at St. Joseph Cemetery.
Memorial gifts in Sr. Margaret’s memory may be sent to:
Dominican Sisters of Peace
Office of Mission Advancement
2320 Airport Dr.
Columbus, OH 43219
or submitted securely at the Congregation’s website.
To view or print a copy of this memorial, please click here.