Bertha Welch

Bertha Arilla Welch, 93, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on December 7, 2010. Bertha was born to Walter and Pearl Stout Sheridan on December 13, 1916, on the family farm near Grady, New Mexico. She graduated from Clovis High School, then worked as a beautician in a local shop and as a secretarybookkeeper for Raton Creameries in Clovis. She later attended Howard Payne University and Eastern New Mexico University, graduating from ENMU with her degree in English and Elementary Education. She taught at Eugene Field Elementary and Zia Elementary in Clovis, retiring in 1982.

She married Hoyt Welch, her husband of 73 years, in Portales, New Mexico on June 12, 1937. Together they served Baptists in many New Mexico churches, including the First Baptist Churches of House, Belen, and Eunice, as well as Sandia Baptist Church in. She was a loving, caring pastors wife and Sunday school teacher. She also served for a number of years as the approved state worker for the Sunday School Department of the New Mexico Baptist Convention, traveling throughout the Southwest to lead conferences for Sunday school teachers of nine through twelve year olds.

She was a wonderful mother and grandmother to her children and grandchildren. Her home was filled with laughter, joy, and her delicious homecooked meals. She was an outstanding artist who loved painting the landscapes, flowers, and animals of Gods creation, which she encountered on her travels throughout North America and the British Isles. She enjoyed fishing, hiking, camping, and reading.

Survivors include one sister, Fannie Anderson of Searcy, Arkansas one brother, Garland Sheridan and his wife Virginia of Killeen, Texas one daughter, Phyllis Sparkman and her husband C.M. of Beaumont, California one son, David Welch and his wife Linda of Amarillo, Texas nine grandchildren, Arilla and Floyd Austin of Highland, CA Calvin and Claudia Sparkman of Riverside, CA Christopher Hoyt and Rebecca Sparkman of Woodbridge, VA Tom and Betty Barnett of Norman, OK Carla Meyer of Melbourne, FL Donna Gonzales of Clovis Tiny Gonzales of Bay City, TX Willie Gonzales, Jr. of Midfield, TX and Eric Gonzales of Amarillo, TX eighteen greatgrandchildren seven greatgreat grandchildren and several nieces and nephews, including Carrel Dennington and his wife Murl of Clovis, NM.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Hoyt Welch, who died on October 19, 2010 her parents, Walter and Pearl Stout Sheridan two sisters, Alberta Dennington of Clovis and Lily Irene Sheridan of Grady one brother, Floyd Sheridan of Clovis and one daughter Judy Barnett of Clovis.

Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, December 11, 2010 at Sandia Baptist Church in Clovis, with Rev. Wesley McAfee and Rev. Bruce Kirby officiating. Burial will follow at Lawn Haven Memorial Gardens in Clovis. Pallbearers will be Calvin Sparkman, Christopher Sparkman, Tom Barnett, Wayne Fair, Wes Graham, and Ted Hairgrove. Honorary pallbearers will include Wayne Camp, Bob Weber, Creston Snyder, Carrel Dennington, Earl Hudspeth, and Bobby Jack Stewart.
Memorial contributions may be made to the New Mexico Baptist Childrens Home, P.O. Box 629, Portales, New Mexico 88130 or the bereavement Fund of Sandia Baptist Church.

Arrangements are under the direction of SteedTodd Funeral Home, 800 E. Manana Blvd., Clovis, New Mexico 88101. You may also sign our online guestbook at www.steedtodd.com .

Service

Funeral

Sandia Baptist ChurchHa
1100 W. Manana
Clovis, NM  88101
Saturday, December 11, 2010
10:00 a.m.

Cemetery

Lawn Haven Memorial Gardens
1601 E. Llano Estacado
Clovis, NM  88101

Memorial Contributions

P. O. Box 629
Portales, NM  88130


1100 W. Manana Blvd.
Clovis, NM  88101