Ascencion Maria (Cajal) Walsh, AKA Mary or “Da”

Mary was born in 1926 at the French Hospital in San Francisco to parents Serapio Cajal and Francisca Sanchez, both immigrants from Spain. After a three month battle with previously undetected cancer, she passed away at home in March 2017 with family by her side.

She grew up in the Richmond district with her sister Audrey and cousins. Their flat was always filled with family, friends and pets. She enjoyed family trips to North Beach, Sutro Baths, and ferry rides to Oakland. She told stories of roller skating to the beach and back, all the way from 5th Avenue. She lived in San Francisco her entire life.

Mary attended public schools culminating in her 1944 graduation from George Washington High.

While working at the Metropolitan Insurance Company from 1944-1957, she met her future husband Tom. Married in 1956, they made their home in San Francisco for over 60 years.

Mary left the Met in late 1957 and had two daughters, Julie and Laura. Although Metropolitan asked her to return to work two different times, she declined. She did a great job as a mother, being a chauffeur, a teacher and a volunteer at the girls’ schools. She had five grandchildren, each of whom she was very proud of. She enjoyed spending time with them and they enjoyed her. They gave her the nickname “Da” which stuck for 30+ years.

Buying their Lake Tahoe cabin was the best thing Tom and Mary did. They visited as often as possible, weather permitting. Mary had many happy times there, spending them with family and friends, working in her yard, playing games and enjoying the outdoors. It was at Tahoe that Mary met Samantha, her dear friend of more than 28 years. She deeply cherished their special bond. Besides San Francisco, Tahoe was the only other place Mary wanted to live.

She is survived by her husband Thomas Walsh, daughters Julie (Jim) Kneis, Laura (Gene) Birsinger, grandchildren-Jeffrey, Andrew and Allison Kneis, Peter and Matthew Birsinger, her sister Audrey (Cajal) Ottonello of Millbrae, nephew John Ottonello (Olive), Audrey’s son-in-law Ken Steele, granddaughter Lauren McLeod (Marty), and grandson Michael Steele.

Mary is also survived by sisters-in-law Mary (Walsh) Towers and Eileen Walsh (Stan), numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, brother-in-law Mario Ottonello, niece Janet (Ottonello) Steele, first cousins Joe Cajal & Fran (Cajal) Carcione, and Fran’s children Anita and Richard Carcione.

Never sick a day in her life, she was the one who took care of others. Mary had an infallible memory, was super organized and she was the “go to” person when you needed anything. She was beautiful, smart, handy and a tireless worker.

She will be greatly missed.

We are grateful to her principal caregivers: Maricel, Catherine and Suset.

Private family services were held in March. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated Saturday July 15 2017 at 11:00 am at St Anne of the Sunset Church.

Donations can be made to St Anne of the Sunset, 850 Judah St., San Francisco, CA 94122, or to your favorite charity.