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Mike Walsh

Alumni Spotlight – Catching up with Mike Walsh, Class of 1966

Mike Walsh has worked in the manufacturing and electronics industry, but his passion is writing. Now living in Vermont, he remains a loyal Saint!

Tell us about your post-STMHS life . . .

After graduating from STM I attended a two-year electronics course in New Britain, CT before starting a three-year enlistment in the Army. When I got out I started working with Digital Equipment in Westfield. At the end of my tenure with them I was working as a manufacturing process support supervisor with 18 technicians and engineers working with me.

Did you have a favorite high school teacher?

My favorite teacher at St. Mary’s was Fr. O’Neal. He taught religion for juniors and seniors — there were 65 members in my class and we had a lot of questions! He was also the guidance counselor.

What makes you proud?

My wife Debra is the thing that I am proudest of. She just amazes me. Our youngest son Justin was diagnosed as a potential SIDS child — Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Because she had already lost a child to SIDS she was determined that this one was going to live. He is now 41 with children of his own. During that first year of his life, Debra helped start a support group for parents in that situation.

She also manned a hotline for parents of SIDS children. During that time she co-authored a pamphlet for parents in this situation. The name of the pamphlet was Living with infant Apnea. The pamphlet was picked up by a major drug company who said they wanted to spread it around the world, the only condition they had was that she and the other author would have to drop their rights to it. So she did. We were told after that it was translated into seven different languages and spread all over the world.

Tell us about being an author . . .

I have been fortunate to have 13 books published which are all available on Amazon.com. They are: Kaeleb’s Dad, Eddie’s Method, Just Some Old Man, Whetstone Chronicles, Largo; of the Whetstone Chronicles, Jame of Elan, Gillbrath, Key of Wand, Knights of Forever, Wizards of Now, The Wizards return, Nathan: the Making of a Wizard, and rewrite of Kaeleb’s dad. I am a proud member of the Whip City Wordsmiths, an organization for new and experienced writers. Founder Susan Buffum has done an outstanding job of facilitating that organization.

How did STMHS influence your life?

It took me a few years after graduating from St. Mary’s to fully grasp the impact on that education. They not only taught us an education they also taught us to lead. It shows in the accomplishments that the graduates have completed. I am proud to have known some of those people in school.