Maggie Welch

Margaret "Maggie" E. Welch, 86, of rural Lansing, IA, died Friday, June 2, 2023, at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon, IA. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, June 6th, at 11:30 AM at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. John Moser officiating. Burial will be at St. Mary's Lycurgus Cemetery, rural Waukon. Friends may greet the family from 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM Monday at Martin - Grau Funeral Home in Waukon, where there will be a 3:30 PM rosary, and also one hour before the service on Tuesday at church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Veterans Memorial Hospital in memory of Maggie and cards/condolences may be mailed to Suzy Leiran at 2054 Lycurgus Road, Lansing, IA 52151.

Margaret Elizabeth Welch was born May 12, 1937, in La Crosse, WI, the daughter of Arthur and Margaret (O'Neill) Bakewell. She grew up Lansing, IA, and attended Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, where she was baptized, confirmed, and married. In 1955, Maggie graduated from Immaculate Conception High School as the president of her class. On October 22, 1958, she married Robert Joseph Welch and they lived on their Century Farm on Lycurgus Road, rural Lansing. Maggie did farm work in addition to raising 10 children; later when her kids were grown, she waitressed at The Fireplace and The Landmark. She was a longtime member at St. Mary's Lycurgus Catholic Church before coming to St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon after it closed.

Maggie kept herself busy, participating in community theater, playing softball, shooting pool, and putting down a mean game of euchre. As a sports fan, she rooted for the Chicago Cubs, Iowa Hawkeyes, and loved watching her children's and grandchildren's activities. She did a lot of traveling, including piling into a vehicle with friends to make the bingo circuit three or four times a week. Many people probably saw her bevy of flowers, like purple and yellow gladiolus and lilac bushes, at her house and some would stop to ask if they could cut some to use in their wedding or other arrangements. She liked baking and brought treats to her friends when they watched The Price is Right in the mornings and also took treats and flowers to her many friends at the nursing homes. At home, Maggie liked watching the birds, playing her guitar, and singing to her favorite country music.

She is survived by her 10 children: Patty Valenti, Becky (Tom) Lentz, Suzy Leiran, Connie Welch, Jim Welch, Janet (Mike) Adam, Jeff Welch, Meg (Grant) Carlson, Mike Welch, and Randy (Ashley) Welch; 16 grandchildren: Katie (Daniel) Ward, Matthew Valenti, Patrick and Eric (Tess) Lentz, Jared, Justin, Jason, and Josh Adam, Maggie, Claire, and Jack Carlson, Ruby and Lucy Welch, and Sophia, Francis, and William Welch; a great-granddaughter Maria Ward; and a sister-in-law Ruth Bakewell.

Maggie was preceded in death by her parents Arthur and Margaret "Peggy" Bakewell; husband Bob in 2009; three brothers: James, Robert, and David Bakewell; sister-in-law Virginia Bakewell; and father and mother-in-law Patrick and Clara Welch.

Casketbearers are Patrick and Eric Lentz, Matt Valenti, Jared, Justin, Jason, and Josh Adam, and Jack Carlson.