Dorothy Welch (Reese)

Dorothy Louise Welch was a native Dallasite and a self-styled Depression baby. She was the youngest of five children and grew up in East Dallas. Her mother was a gifted seamstress and pattern maker, and her father owned a grocery store and a used car lot on East Grand Ave. As a child she attended the First Baptist Church of Urbandale on her own and was baptized at age 11 in a white linen dress made by her mother.

After graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1948 she attended North Texas State University and earned a B.S. in Education, graduating in three years by taking classes during the summer. Early in her teaching career, she began work on a master’s degree in school administration at S.M.U. and soon decided this was not her calling and switched to her real passion, elementary education. “If the Lord gave me a talent, it was to see potential in children and to love them” she said. She taught primary school, predominantly second grade, for 40 years in Dallas, most of that time with the D.I.S.D. She loved teaching and towards the end of her career was honored as a lifetime member of the P.T.A.

Dorothy met her husband John at the Tower Theater in downtown Dallas, and they were married in 1954. After moving to a new house on Mockingbird Lane they soon found a church home at Wilshire in 1960. She said, “The people were so friendly, and there were lots of couples with children the same age as our two sons.” Dot and John taught 5-year-old Sunday school for many years, and she served on the Preschool and History committee and on the Pastoral Select Committee who recruited George Mason.

John Welch worked for the Baptist Standard Publishing Company that printed a weekly newspaper for Texas Baptists. Part of his responsibilities were to oversee the mailing of the newspaper, so they would attend the Annual National Postal Forum which was a big highlight for them. Later they participated in Church Builders and were able to travel abroad and in the states with life-long Wilshire friends before John’s death in 2001.

Dorothy enjoyed quilting and doing handiwork. She won blue ribbons at the State Fair of Texas for her Christmas stockings, tablecloths, and beading. Her quilts won awards from the Dallas Quilters Guild, and she was delighted to make these one-of-a-kind items for friends and family, especially granddaughters.

Dorothy enjoyed an active retirement and attended the same exercise class for many years, which was a secret to her longevity. She was a 30-year member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, serving as Regent in 2000, Vice Regent and Chaplain. She sang in Wilshire’s New Song Choir and was active in The Wilshire Adventurers and the Sunday school class named Charlie’s Angels.

Memorial contributions may be made to Wilshire Baptist Church—Missions, 4316 Abrams Rd, Dallas, TX 75214.

Dorothy is survived by her two sons, Tom Welch of Palm Springs, California and David Welch of Irving, Texas, David’s wife Annamaria Di Bartolo Welch, and their two daughters, Alessia and Elisa, as well as several nieces and cousins. Dorothy loved her family, and they miss her dearly.