Christine Stephanie Welch

Christine Stephanie Welch was born Christel Stephania Wallek on December 27, 1923 in Cieszyn, a town that at the time was part of Pre-WWI Austrian Empire and later Poland. Her father, Joseph, was a cavalry officer. Her mother, Maria, was a housewife that helped out in Grandfather's jewelry business. This may be where Christine acquired her taste for "bling."

When she was around 19, WWII broke out. Her Jewish friends began to disappear. Her brother was taken by the Nazis and was never seen again. At the end of the war, Christine and her mother left their home with only the clothes on their backs for American-occupied Germany. The Russians were coming and they weren't taking prisoners. She traveled with her mother by car, cart, and foot, over 300 miles to reach a safe haven. They had lost everything. Along the way, there was an air raid and they were separated in the confusion. Each thought the other lost, so Christine went on and her mother went back to Poland.

Christine ended up in Fürstenfeldbruck in American-occupied Germany. There she met Bruce Welch, a young GI in the Army Air Corps. They fell in love and were married on Thursday, Sept. 11, 1947. Bruce III was born in Munich in 1953. Mark, their second son, was born in 1958. Her husband died of cancer on May 11, 1966.

Christine continued to work in the Civil Service, acquiring a degree with honors in German along the way, which led her to a teaching position at the Defense Language Institute in California. She retired around 1995 and lived comfortably till her meeting with God on November 5, 2015.

Christine is survived by her sons, Bruce F. Welch III and Mark J. Welch and wife, Maria; grandchildren, Sophia Welch and Gabriel Welch; and other extended family members. God bless and rest in peace, Christine. We will miss you.

The family will receive friends from 7:00-8:00 P.M. on Wednesday, November 11, at Porter Loring Mortuary North.

SERVICE

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015

12:00 P.M.

PORTER LORING NORTH CHAPEL

Interment will follow in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.