Mary Welch

Louise Welch declared her independence from old age and frail health, passing away peacefully on Monday morning, July 4, 2011, at the age of 89 years. Louise was born in Gorman, Texas on September 27, 1921 and grew up in Maryneal and Sweetwater, Texas. Her story was that of many children born at her time the grinding poverty of rural Texas during the Great Depression. Louise39s burden was made even harder with the death of her adored father in an industrial accident when she was 12 years old. She became the sole support of her widowed mother and frail sister when she graduated from high school at 14. She first worked as a household maid, but she eventually was able to move up to work in an insurance office when she was 18. Louise had energy and strength that even today39s women would admire buying a house for her mother and sister before she turned 18. Since she was underage, her mother had to cosign the documents with her, but Louise paid off the mortgage in three years