Joseph Walsh

Published on 10/06/2020

WALSH - Dr Joseph M. Walsh On Sunday, 31st of May, 2020, Joseph Michael Walsh (Joe), loving husband and father, passed away peacefully at the age of 88. Joe was preceded in his death by his father, Joseph, his mother, Emma, and his brother, Tom. He is survived by his wife Maureen, and his four children, Siobhan, Kieran, Colette and Cormac, as well as several nieces and nephews. Joe was a proud grandparent to Luke, Aidan, Indiana, Saint George, Kira, Joseph, Emma Rae, Terry, Ruairi and Reade. Joe was born on the 27th of May, 1932, in Partick, Glasgow and received his degree in medicine from Glasgow University in 1958. Joe began his practice of medicine in Law Hospital followed by a very eventful two years of national service in Malaya and Borneo. He returned to Law Hospital, working in casualty and then surgery. Joe met his wife, Maureen Doyle, in Law hospital and they were married on the 21st of August, 1965 and together they raised four children. As a young school student Joe was engaged in several sports, shining in gymnastics and diving. As a university student, Joe joined the university diving team and became deeply involved in extracurricular activities with a focus on entertainment! Joe had a passion for jazz music and enjoyed singing, playing guitar and bongos. One of the formative periods of Joe's life was his national service in Borneo and Malaya. In Borneo he learned to drive a land rover, swim a horse across a river, and handle a canoe in order to visit his patients. Joe served as the Medical Officer for the Gurkha Engineers in Malaya where he ran the Gurkha family hospital delivering 60 babies, setting up vaccination regimens for families and staff, and working to ensure equality of cured leprosy patients. At the end of Joe's service in Malaya, he received the General Service (Malaya) Award and was admitted as the first ever non-regular service member of the Gurkha Engineers Association. Later in life, Joe received a Malaya and Borneo veterans medal from the Malaysian government for his service. In 2007, Joe suffered a debilitating stroke. As a physician and a committed supporter of scientific research to aid stroke victims, Joe entered into a stem cell treatment trial in 2011, leaving his brain to science and posterity. Joe enjoyed the great outdoors, particularly shooting game with good friends and his sons in central Scotland and the Scottish borders. He enjoyed travelling with his wife Maureen in Britain, Europe, the Cayman Islands, and the USA. St. Andrews was a very special place for Joe and his family, where they spent many happy weekends in their caravan. Joe was widely known and loved from his work as a surgeon at Law Hospital, as a General Practitioner in Wishaw Health Centre, and as a Appeal & Tribunal Service medical advisor. Joe was known for his dashing style (he always wore a bow tie) and gentlemanly manner. He is much loved and will be missed. Due to current restrictions, a private family service will be held. A celebration of life gathering will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory would be much appreciated, and can be made to the Gurkha Welfare Trust https://www.gwt.org.uk.

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