Mary Welsch

Mass of Christian Burial: Will be held on Friday, February 16, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. at the St. John’s Catholic Church in Greenfield with burial in the Greenfield Cemetery. A luncheon will be held at the church following the committal services at the cemetery. Father James Ahenkora will officiate the service.  

Family Visitation: The family will greet friends on Friday morning at the St. John’s Catholic Church one hour prior to services. 

Memorials: May be directed to the Greenfield Rehabilitation and Health Care Center or to the St. John’s Council of Catholic Women. 

Mary Alice (Scanlan) Welsch was born October 31, 1933 on a farm northeast of Prescott, IA in Adams County, Iowa, the daughter of Joseph Charles and Elizabeth Martha (Miller) Scanlan. She passed away February 12, 2018 at the Greenfield Rehabilitation and Health Center in Greenfield, IA, at the age of 84.

Mary and her family lived southeast of Creston, Iowa then moved to a farm near Nodaway, Iowa in 1940. Mary attended the Nodaway Consolidated School from kindergarten through 12th grade, graduating in 1952. After attending college at Ottumwa Heights Junior College she attended Northwest Missouri State Teacher’s College in Maryville, Mo. Mary taught second grade in Van Meter, IA for 2 years. In the fall of 1956 she began teaching second grade in the Greenfield Community Schools until the spring of 1965. Later in life she enjoyed many years of substitute teaching.

Mary was united in marriage to Richard G. Welsch on June 13, 1959 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Villisca, IA. In the fall of 1961 they moved to a farm 5 miles southwest of Greenfield.

She enjoyed sewing, cooking, gardening and quilting. She also treasured spending time with her children and grandchildren. Her TOPS friends were very dear to her and she always looked forward to their weekly meetings (especially the coffee and rolls after the meetings). She served her community many years through the St. Johns Altar & Rosary Society and volunteered for many local organizations. She lived a life deeply rooted in her Catholic faith.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Theresa McCall and Elizabeth Gray; and two brothers Donald and James Scanlan.

She is survived by her husband, Richard Welsch of Greenfield; four children, Marcella Welsch of Indianola, IA, Doug Welsch of Greenfield, IA, Kathleen Brinning and husband Shane of Keota, IA, and Nancy Miller and husband Terry of New Providence; eight grandchildren, Rick and Ruth Welsch, McKenna, Morgan and & Taylor Brinning and Rachel, Tyler & Nathan Miller; sister, Bernadette Morris of Council Bluffs; brother, John Scanlan and wife Bonnie of Yuma, AZ; other relatives and friends.