Evelyn Welch

Evelyn Marie (Armstrong) Welch, esteemed matriarch of her large and diverse family and long-time resident of Waseca and Mankato, embarked on her next adventure on Saturday, June 20, 2009 in Minneapolis, After a rich and long life--during which she wore each and every experience with hats, glamour, and classa�"she has gone on to join her beloved husband of 45 years, Robert V. Welch, who preceded her in death in 1983.     Born May 30, 1917 to Joseph and Rose (Amberg) Armstrong, Evie graduated from John Ireland Catholic and Central High schools, St. Peter, Minnesota. And while living and working in Waseca, met the man-of-her-dreams, marrying Robert (Bob) Welch on February 6, 1937 at St. Peter's Catholic Church in St. Peter. Together over the next 20 years, they built a life filled with an ever-growing family, church and community activism and volunteering, and a loving network of life-long friends.    A volunteer in various community organizations and local schools, she was a longtime member of the V.F.W. Ladies Auxiliary, Catholic Daughters of America, and Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Waseca. She was a loyal supporter of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago, the Christian Children's Fund, Covenant House, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, American Heart Association, and St. Jude's Research.     Evelyn was a lover of life in all of its forms. Square dancing and riding carousels into her 80s, until she was felled by her first of three bouts with leukemia, she continued to sashay to the tune of dancing flowers until the very last moment. An avid bridge player who loved to entertain and truly believed that the party was never over.    Sympathetic, understanding, and the first to lend a helping hand, she loved her peonies and roses, laughter, music, and old movies. She embraced every new experiencea�"from the exotic to ruggeda�"with a sense of humor and adventure. She loved to travel, play Scrabble with her girls, and share her love of storytelling with every grandchild and young persona�"great and small.   Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, June 23rd at 2:30 p.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Fr. Martin Schaefer officiating. Interment will be Wednesday, June 24th  in the Ft. Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis.   Visitation will be held on Monday from 4 to 7 p.m. at McRaith Funeral Home in Waseca, and will continue on Tuesday afternoon for one hour prior to services, at church. There will be a 4:30 Catholic Daughter Rosary, and a 7:00 p.m. parish prayer service Monday at the funeral home.   She is survived by her children Robert (Bob) Welch, Jr. of Garrison, Barbara Welch of Mankato, Mary Armstrong Welch (Caren Gaytko) of Minneapolis, and Terri Armstrong Welch of Minneapolis. She also will be long-remembered and forever in the hearts of her 15 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren, 16 great-great grandchildren, her sisters LaJune Hall and Rose Skramstad, brother Gerald (Jerry) McCabe, dozens of nieces and nephews, and many other young people whose lives she touched.   She was preceded in death by her husband Bob, her brother Cyril Armstrong, and sisters Yvonne Heilman and Delores Ashcraft.    Casket bearers will be grandchildren: Brenda Guzman, Cheryl Roesch, Diana Hogan, Robert J. Welch, Jr., Scott Roesch, Joe Rosech, Jeana Metzendorf, James Roesch, Dean Johnson, Mike Welch, Marideth Johnson Salgado, Cottie Lynn Apodaca, Joshua Zuehlke, Zack Zangel, Mary Elizabeth Welch Gaytko.