William Andrew Walsh, Jr. (Bill), 86, of Vero Beach, Florida, passed away October 18, 2017.

Bill was born in the Bronx, New York and moved to Florida with his wife Bette (Roberts) and young family 56 years ago from Cape Cod, MA.

Prior to his retirement to Vero Beach, Bill worked for BellSouth as a Services Technician for over 35 years. He served in the US Navy during the Korean War era. While stationed in New York City, he met and later married Bette, a US Navy Wave, and the love of his life. They had been married for 58 years at the time of Bette's death in 2011.

Bill was a dedicated husband, a loving Dad, Grandaddy, and Great-Grandaddy, and a caring friend and neighbor. His times of greatest joy were spent with his immediate and extended family. He is survived by five children and their spouses: Kelly, Chris and spouse Kendra, Gary and fianc Tammy, Patricia and spouse David, and Charlene and spouse William. In addition, Bill is survived by eight grandchildren (ranging in age from 10 to 44) and their spouses: Riley, Logan, Eric, Emily, Andrew and spouse Laura, Stephanie and spouse David, Shannon and spouse Huey, and Jennifer and spouse Tara. He is also survived by a third generation of great-grandchildren: Collin, Luke, Noah, Ava, Owen, and Annabel. Other survivors include Bill's older sister, Adelaide, as well as his cousins, and many in-laws, nieces and nephews, and great nieces and nephews, on both Bill and Bette's sides of the family. Bill was a good friend to his neighbors, offering a supporting hand to run an errand or patch what needed to be fixed, right up to the last days of his life.

Bill will be remembered as a reserved and humble, yet friendly, person. His inquisitive nature led him on a self-taught journey of life-long-learning and discovery. Bill grew orchids and had multiple hobbies and interests. After Bette's death, he took up the hobby of model building, starting with small plastic airplanes and graduating to intricate, detailed wooden ships as he honed his craft. Bill loved football (having played semi-professionally with the "Troy Bulldogs" as a young man) and never failed to call a family member after a game, to enthusiastically recap the plays. Bill loved movies and served as the family movie critic - which may have stemmed from one of his earliest jobs as a film inspector with Twentieth Century Fox in New York. He viewed the world with endless curiosity and an open mind. Bill has bequeathed, to all who loved him, a small piece of himself through collective and individual memories, just waiting to be shared.

A celebration of Bill's life will take place in the spring of 2018.

Memorial contributions in honor of Bill's (William A. Walsh, Jr.) life may be made to the Treasure Coast Hospice Foundation on-line, by phone, or by mail as follows:

On-line: www.treasurehealth.org (follow the prompts to Donate)

Phone: 772-403-4500

Mail: Treasure Coast Hospice Foundation, 1201 SE Indian St., Stuart, FL 34997