Obituary: Celeste Welch

Welch_CelesteGraveside Services for Celeste Welch, 95, of Athens, formerly of Tyler are scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, May 25, 2013 at the Noonday Cemetery in Noonday with Pastor Tom Bragdon officiating.

Mrs. Welch went to be with her loving husband on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 in Athens.

Celeste Brooks Welch was born Dec. 2, 1917 in Gresham, Texas the daughter of James Andrew Spivey and Annie Laura Holbrook Spivey. She was a longtime member of the Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler. She served as the First President of the East Texas Square and Round Dance Association. She loved to crochet, was a wonderful seamstress but her true passion was gardening. Granny was a loving and caring woman to all and truly enjoyed spending time with her family. She was a loving mother and grandmother and will be greatly missed by all those she touched.

She was preceded in death by her husband James Fletcher Welch Jr.; her parents; one brother; Andrew Spivey; and one sister Jeanne Herrington.

She is survived by her daughter and son in law, Harriet and Terry Parker of Athens; five grandchildren, Kelle and Lance Savis, Erin and Hans Miller, Tara and Josh Whitley, Natalie and David Stovall, Andrew and Debora Holden; and seven great grandchildren, Parker and Braeden Whitley, Loren and Lacey Savis, Ruth and Greta Miller and Rosalie Stovall.

Visitation will be held from 6:00-8:00 P.M., Friday, May 24, 2013 at Hannigan Smith Funeral Home in Athens, Texas.

In lieu of flowers the family has asked that donations be made to:
Hospice of East Texas Foundation
4111 Spur 248 Tyler, TX 75701
(903) 266-3400