Obituary: F​rank X. Walsh, 80, of Guilford

GUILFORD, CT - (From Guilford Funeral Home) Frank X. Walsh, longtime resident of Guilford, passed away peacefully on Friday September 25,2020 at Yale New Haven Hospital surrounded by his loving family.

Frank was born in Queens, N.Y. on January 22, 1940 son of Joseph A. Walsh and Frances (Gambino) Walsh. He was predeceased by his parents, his son in law John J. Dombrowski and his granddaughter Katherine M. Dombrowski.

Frank is survived by his dear wife of 18 years, Ingela Helgesson. Frank is also survived by his children; Kathleen Dombrowski of Waterford CT., Kevin and Tika Walsh of Wilmette IL. and Sara and Jim O’Neill of Hingham, MA. Ingela’s daughters Kristin and Lee Ryder of Denver CO. and Tanya and Todd Brylinsky of Duxbury, MA.

His grandchildren, who gave him tremendous joy; Tanner, Reilly and Cameron Walsh, Jack Dombrowski, Aerin and George O’Neill, Burke andTeo Ryder, Inga and Lucia Brylinsky. His brother, Joseph D. Walsh of Jackson Heights N.Y. Good friend Nancy S. Walsh of Old Saybrook, CT. as well as many cousins and many dear friends.

Frank graduated from Power Memorial Academy in 1957, received his B.A. in Economics from Iona College in 1962, served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves for 6 years and was honorably discharged with the rank of Lance Corporal in 1965.

He furthered his education and earned his M.B.A. in 1973 from the University Of New Haven. Frank had a long career as a Systems Analyst working for ABB Combustion Engineering, Philips Medical Systems, Echlin Manufacturing and Condec.

In 1994, Frank received his Respiratory Therapist accreditation from Quinnipiac College and began a new career which he found highly rewarding as a Respiratory Therapist working in home health care, at Yale New Haven Hospital and Yale School of Medicine before his semiretirement in 2019.

Frank had a lifelong love of learning and was a true “renaissance man”. He loved sailing, skiing, tennis, photography, reading, hiking, camping, cooking and music ranging from T.Rex to Classical.

Frank rebuilt three homes, made furniture, was a small motor wizard and made eggplant parmesan like no other. To his family, there seemed to be nothing he couldn’t accomplish. Frank truly loved the natural world and all of the beauty it had to offer. Over the course of several years he and Ingela set out in their Scamp camper and visited the majority of America’s beautiful national parks.

In the summer of 2016 he hiked to the top of Mt. Washington with his son Kevin, and grandsons Tanner, Reilly, Cam and Jack. Frank loved an adventure.

Frank’s smile and sense of humor will be dearly missed.

Frank was very active in the Rotary Club, Shoreline Indivisible, the Men's Group, Habitat for Humanity, Raise The Roof and the North Madison Congregational Church.

Frank believed in basic human kindness, that we all need a helping hand on life's journey – and felt it was an honor to help others. In that very spirit the Family requests, in lieu of flowers, you consider a memorial donation to the organizations he held dear; Raise the Roof, PO Box 916, Madison, CT 06443; www.raisetheroofct.org or the North Madison Congregational Church, 1271 Durham Rd, Madison, CT 06443; www.northmadisoncc.orgA Celebration Of Life is planned for Summer 2021.