William P. “Bill” Walsh, 85, passed away peacefully on July 20, 2026.

Born on July 8, 1941, in Washington, D.C., Bill was the son of William P. Walsh and Frances Virginia (Bailey) Walsh. He was raised in Rantoul, Illinois, where his father was a high school and football coach and history teacher, and his mother was a Montessori school teacher with a lifelong Catholic faith.

Bill spent many happy summers on his great-grandfather’s fruit farm in South Haven, Michigan. His grandfather, Frank Bailey, was a musician who performed on Mississippi River steamboats, fostering an appreciation for craftsmanship and tradition that remained with Bill throughout his life.

After earning a technical degree in automotive painting in Kansas City, Missouri, Bill worked as an automotive painter in Melbourne, Florida. He later lived in Arkansas, where he hand-built a round home on his 40-acre property using native stone. In 1981, he settled in Micco, Florida, and from 1990 to 2018 made his home in Hawaii before returning to Florida.

Bill was a talented woodcarver and artist, an avid antique collector, and a lifelong enthusiast of classic automobiles.

He is survived by his children: Kim Hines, Christopher Hines, Sarah (Walsh) Benedick, Virginia “Ginny” (Walsh) Hunt, and Louisa (Walsh) Hodges; his siblings: Michael Walsh, Thomas Walsh (deceased) and Judy (Walsh) O’Donnell; 10 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the VNA Hospice House of Indian River County, Vero Beach, Florida.

Bill will be remembered for his creativity, craftsmanship, and the enduring love of his family.

Arrangements are under the direction of Millennium Cremation Service. Condolences may be shared online at www.millenniumcremationservice.com.