Helen Marie Welch

Helen Marie Welch, 87, of Athens, TN died Tuesday, August 4, 2015, at Morning Pointe of Athens.  She has resided in Athens for 11 years and lived in Greensboro, N.C. for 53 years.  She was a native of LaFollette, Tennessee and was a daughter of the late Seth Edgar and Tina Bowman Welch.  She was also preceded in death by sisters, Reva Lamb, Virginia Parrott and Della Huddleston, brothers, J.S., Phillip, Robert, Billy Max, Dan Welch and Ray Irwin.  She was a member of Greensboro United Methodist Church and attended Central Baptist Church in Athens. She was associated with Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company in Greensboro, North Carolina as executive secretary until her retirement. She was a member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority and served with the Good Shepherd Ministry in Greensboro.

She is survived by two sisters, Ruth Young of Ukiah, California and Wynn Hooks of Trenton, Michigan; eighteen nieces and five nephews including five local nieces, Carolyn Ford of Athens, Janet Elkins of Atlanta, GA, Deborah Davis of Riceville, Helen Millsaps of Athens, and Jennifer Johnson of Nashville.

A funeral service will be conducted, 11:00 am, Saturday, August 8, 2015 at Central Baptist Church with Rev. Mike Bernard officiating. The committal service will be 3:00 pm, Saturday in Fincastle Cemetery in LaFollette, TN with Rev. David Gass officiating.  The family will receive friends from 10:00-11:00 am, Saturday at the church prior to the service.  Pallbearers will be great- nephews, Todd Ford, Brian Ford, Brian Guffey, Joshua Millsaps, Jason Gunn and Johnny Billings.  The family suggests memorials be made to Central Baptist Church of Athens, 13 Nash Drive, Athens, TN 37303; or Fincastle United Methodist Church, 629 Old Middlesboro Hwy, LaFollette, TN 37766.  Online condolences for Helen Marie Welch may be made at www.waltersfuneralhome.net.  This obituary notice courtesy of Walters Funeral Home of LaFollette, TN.