Carolyn Welsh

Carolyn M. Welsh, 74, of Waukon, IA, died Saturday, November 14, 2015, at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, WI, surrounded by her family. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, November 18th, at 11:00 AM at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon. Burial will be at St. Mary's Lycurgus Cemetery, rural Waukon. Friends may call from 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM Tuesday at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon where there will be a 2:45 scripture service.

Carolyn Marie Welsh was born March 25, 1941, in La Crosse, WI, the daughter of Walter E. and Emily M. (Kehr) Beck. She was baptized at St. Francis Hospital in La Crosse and later in life was confirmed at St. Mary's Lycurgus Catholic Church in rural Waukon, IA. Carolyn grew up in the Lansing, IA area and in 1959, graduated from Lansing High School, where she was involved in band, chorus, and girl's glee club, worked in the library, and was a cheerleader, class officer, and salutatorian of her class. Her yearbook described her: "she studies so quietly that she disturbs not even herself." After graduating, she worked in La Crosse at St. Francis Hospital as a bookkeeper; she also worked at the John Deere store in Lansing where she met Bernard Welsh, the love of her life. Carolyn and Bernard were married on December 29, 1962, at St. Mary's Lycurgus Catholic Church. The couple farmed together and Carolyn also did the bookkeeping. She was a known perfectionist and would make sure every cent was accounted for, even if that meant spending many hours checking the books.

She was a 4-H leader and was a member at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon and St. Mary's Lycurgus, where she kept the cemetery records and enjoyed doing so much that she continued to do so even after officially retiring from it. Carolyn loved gardening and flowers, especially tulips and peonies, and also watching the hummingbirds. She and Bernard did some traveling together around the country. Carolyn was a huge Iowa Hawkeye fan and loved watching football and basketball. She loved her family and was as involved with them as she could be which included following her children and grandchildren's sports and activities. Carolyn will be remembered as a loving, gentle, and thoughtful person who was always doing whatever she could to make others happy.

Carolyn is survived by her husband Bernard of Waukon; her three children: Sherry (Jim) Ariss of Prairie du Chien, WI, Michelle Welsh of Fort Atkinson, IA, and Brian (April) Welsh of Elgin, IL; 10 grandchildren: Jaimie (Demetri) Andrews, Courtney (Nic) Carlson, Lindsey Ariss, Cassidy Welsh, Brendan and Dustan Guider, and Carson, Chace, Jack, and Brielle Welsh; her brother Bob Beck of Waverly, IA; her sister Janice (Dick) Troendle of Cedar Rapids, IA; and many nieces and nephews and other family. She was preceded in death by her parents.

Honorary casketbearers are Theresa Lyons, Terri Link, Joyce Lyons, Kathy Connelly, Donna Sadler, Essie Welsh, Maralyn Welsh, and Betty Welsh. Casketbearers are Pat Cota, Gary Welsh, Kevin Welsh, Jack Heffern, Craig Welsh, Rick Welsh, Don Moore, and David Welsh.