James Michael Walsh

James Michael “Jim” Walsh, age 88, of Raritan Township, NJ, died peacefully on Monday, May 4, 2020 at his home, surrounded by his loving family and under the caring watch of Hunterdon Hospice.

Jim was born in Newark, NJ to the late Frank and Elsie Aspden Walsh, on July 19, 1931.  He resided for many years in North Plainfield, NJ prior to moving to Flemington, NJ last year.

Jim faithfully served his country during the Korean War as a member of the United States Army.  Enlisting in 1949 after serving a year in the National Guard, he served until being honorably discharged in 1952.

He married his wife of 65 years, Ruth Josephine Kucinski, on June 6, 1954, at St Joseph’s Church in North Plainfield.  He remained active in the church and served as their first Eucharistic Minister.  Jim also attended yearly retreats at the Loyola Jesuit Center to become closer to being the person God wanted him to be on earth.

For many years he worked as a technician for Western Electric, Union, NJ. During this time, he earned his college degree from FDU and Thomas Edison College.  He retired from there in 1984 and then accepted a position with the Department of Defense as a Quality Control Agent until his final retirement in 1996.

He was an avid reader and had a keen interest in history and genealogy. He was very proud of the many years of research into his family tree that he shared with interested family members.

After his retirement, he enjoyed traveling with his wife, Ruth.  He was especially fond of his trip to Ireland where he visited Dungarvan, the port his grandparents emigrated from.

Jim was a great man and helped many people with his kindness and generosity.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Frank and Robert Walsh; and one sister, Josephine Shaffery.

Surviving are his wife of sixty-five years, Ruth Josephine Kucinski Walsh; his children, Cheryl and her husband Christopher Stalowski of Flemington, NJ, Stephen and his former wife Judi Walsh of Honolulu, HI, and Sandra and her husband Thomas Kantorski of Annandale, NJ; three brothers, John, Thomas, and William Walsh; a brother-in-law, Joseph Kucinski; his grandchildren, Christopher and his wife Nancy, Sara and her husband James, Grayce and her husband Philip, Stephanie, and Nicholas; two great grandsons, Collin and Gavin; several nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

Private immediate family viewing and committal rights, followed by burial in Washington Crossing National Cemetery, Newtown, PA, took place under the care and direction of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ.

Memorial contributions in Jim’s honor may be made to Deborah Heart & Lung Center, 200 Trenton Road, Browns Mills, NJ 08015 or online by clicking HERE.

A public Mass of Christian Burial at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, Three Bridges, NJ, is being planned at a later date under the care and direction of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Flemington, NJ. Please check back on this page for updated service information; again, the information will not be available until the restrictions are lifted.

***Due to the inability to have a public ceremony at this time, and knowing how vital the love of family, friends, and the community is when someone passes, everyone reading this is encouraged to leave a detailed note on this page—perhaps a favorite story, or maybe the way Jim touched your heart—something to help inspire a measure of comfort and hope to all who read the comments.***

Please visit Jim’s permanent memorial site at www.wrightfamily.com to light a memorial candle, leave messages of condolence, share words of comfort and recollection, and post photographs of his life.

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Wright & Ford, your local, family owned & operated “Life Celebration Home”