On the recordJanuary 18, 2011
I wish to inform the House of Representatives that on January 8, 2011, central New York lost a great friend, and this august body lost a former Member, William Francis Walsh. William Walsh, World War II veteran, former mayor of Syracuse, and Member of this House of Representatives from 1973 to 1979, passed away at his home in Marcellus, New York, at the age of 98. Mr. Walsh played a significant role in the shaping of the political landscape of central New York for more than 30 years. He returned home from World War II, during which he served as an Army captain, and completed graduate studies at the University of Buffalo in social work. His training and experience as a social worker would provide him with a values reference point for his future political career. In 1959, voters elected him to the post of County Welfare Commissioner. Over the course of his political career, he consistently demonstrated his compassion for the less fortunate, and he was instrumental in developing welfare-to-work programs. William Walsh was elected mayor of the City of Syracuse in 1961 and, during his tenure, supervised widespread major changes to the Syracuse downtown. Syracusans remember Bill Walsh for his approachability and his emphasis on constituent service. That attention to the needs of the constituents served the district residents well when Mr. Walsh became a Member of Congress in 1973. Bill Walsh loved Syracuse.
