John M. Walsh

TAYLORVILLE — John M. Walsh, of Taylorville, formerly of Streator, passed peacefully into eternal life Thursday, Dec. 20, at Heritage Health in Pana.

John was born Oct. 31, 1950, the fourth child of John B. “Jack” and Zita E. (O’Brien) Walsh. He farmed the Walsh Farm in Streator for a number of years before moving to Taylorville where he ran Colorbrite Carpet Cleaning. He later retired from Caterpillar Inc.

John was preceded in death by both of his parents and two brothers-in-law.

He is survived by his son, Aaron J. “AJ” Walsh (Heather Kenter), of Olathe, Kan.; his grandson, Zach Poelker; and AJ’s mother and Zach’s grandmother, Judith Dixon Walsh, of Taylorville. He is also survived by four siblings, Kathleen Stokes, of Portland, Maine, Marianne Stutzman, of Westminster, Calif., Janet (Stephen) Noyes, of Tempe, Ariz., and Philip (Gail) Walsh, of Madison, Wis.; multiple nieces, nephews and cousins also survive.

John graduated from St. Anthony School and Woodland High School in Streator and from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.

He had a lifelong love of music from the time he learned to play the guitar in junior high and loved writing and singing his own songs. He will be remembered for this and for his wonderfully infectious sense of humor.

Services will be held by the family in Taylorville sometime in the coming weeks.

Condolences and remembrances may be submitted to his son via email to inmemoryofjmw@gmail.com.