From: KyArchives [Archives@genrecords.org] Sent: Saturday, December 25, 2004 5:22 PM To: Ky-Footsteps Subject: Welch.Nancy.Evelyn.2004.Bell.OBIT Nancy Evelyn Welch November 8 2004 Bell County KyArchives Obituaries >From the Knoxville News Sentinel 10 Nov 2004 WELCH, NANCY EVELYN - age 94, a resident of the Holston Hills community for over 50 years, died Monday, November 8, 2004 at Tanbark Health Care Center in Lexington, KY. Miss Welch was one of the first women commissioned officers in the Navy. She was born April 25, 1910 in Williamsburg, KY. She graduated from the University of Tennessee, where she majored in business. After graduation, she worked for the Tennessee Valley Authority and was a member of First Baptist Church of Knoxville. Following the start of World War II and enactment in 1942 of Legislation that opened Navy Service to women, Miss Welch enlisted in the U.S. Navy. She was a member of the First Class of Navy WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service), as Women's Naval Corps was called. She was a Lieutenant and worked at postings around the country, from Washington, D.C. to Honolulu, recruiting other young college women to join the Navy. Miss Welch returned to TVA after the war ended. She continued her military service, serving for more than 20 years in the Naval Reserves. An avid golfer, Miss Welch was a member of Holston Hills Country Club, where she often competed in amateur and senior tournament events. She continued to play golf into her late 80's and put away her clubs only when failing health made it impossible to continue to play. She was the daughter of the late William Thomas and Flora Ellen Richardson Welch, who lived in Fountain City. Her father worked for the I&NO Railroad where he was a trainmaster at various locations around the South. Miss Welch was the oldest of their four children. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by: her brothers, James M. Welch, Charles William Welch, and Edward Lay Welch. She is survived by: four nieces and two nephews and their children. The family will receive friends 9:30- 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Rose Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel before traveling in procession to Highland Memorial Cemetery for an 11:00 a.m. graveside service with Dr. William D. Shiell officiating. Rose Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel. Submitted by: Neal Byrge http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00005.html#0001134 This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/kyfiles/