Mary Ann Minar Walsh, a resident of New Canaan for over forty years, passed away on Tuesday September 27, 2016. Mary Ann was born and raised in Detroit Michigan on November 27th, 1938, the daughter of the late John (Jack) Minar and Elizabeth (Betty) Novack Minar. She graduated from Mercy High School and the Detroit Business Institute. In her early twenty’s she moved to Los Angeles California, was active in the theatre and worked for Columbia Pictures. She met and eventually married her late husband, John Dee Walsh. They moved to Torrance, California where their three children, Kathleen, Deirdre and John were born. In 1975 the family settled in New Canaan. Mary Ann had a great love of cooking and made sure her family had a full course dinner every night. Consequently she started neighborhood luncheon clubs, chaired the food committee of St. A’s Spring Champagne Brunch, the pre Cocktail Party for the New Canaan Art Show at Waveny, the menus for The New Canaan Dance Club, the Gourmet Club for Newcomers and loved working the St. Patrick’s Day Dinner at Kiwanis Club. She loved tennis, reading, sewing, antiquing and even splitting wood with her husband. Her favorite winter evenings were spent sitting in front of a warm fire with her family. Mary Ann conducted home CCD classes for St. A’s, served as a New Canaan Justice of the Peace and worked for over 30 years as general office manager and receptionist for Hawthorne, Ackerly & Dorrance Law Firm. Mary Ann had a wonderful laugh and a smile for everyone. She was a warm, devoted, loving mother and wife who treasured her husband, children, grandchildren and many friends. She is survived by her much loved children, Kathleen Sigrid of Claremont CA, Deirdre Elizabeth of Newtown, John Michael of Salisbury, her three wonderful grandchildren, Kylie Elizabeth Walsh-Bivrell of Denver Co., Charles John Herde and his sister Sarah Elizabeth Herde of Newtown, and the children’s father Charles Herde of Newtown. She is also survived by her brother Jack of Northport Michigan, her brother Jim and his wife Mary of Wixom, Michigan. There are also several nieces and nephews on the Minar side of the family. On the Walsh side she leaves a sister in-law Susan Walsh Boyle and her husband Don of Rhode Island along with their family and a brother in-law Dr. Michael Walsh and his wife Carol of South Carolina along with their family. In addition to John, her loving husband of 46 years, she is predeceased by her parents, her beautiful sister Dolores Doucet and niece Diane Doucet Bowersox. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday October 3, 2016 at 11:00AM at St Aloysius Church, Cherry St., New Canaan, CT Interment will be private. The family will receive friends on Sunday from 3 to 5 PM at the Hoyt Funeral Home, 199 Main Street, New Canaan. In lieu of flowers contributions made be made to the charity of one’s choice For online condolences and directions visit www.hoytfuneralhome.com Monday October 3, 2016 , 11:00 AM at St. Aloysius Church Click for Map and Directions Sunday October 2, 2016 , 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM at Hoyt Funeral Home Click for Map and Directions