Essie Louise Welch

Essie Louise Welch née Bearnarth passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, surrounded by her family, at the age of 94. She was born on June 1, 1931 in Brooklyn, New York, and moved at an early age to Westchester County, where she lived in several communities. Essie graduated from Centenary College in New Jersey. In 1960, she married George Welch at Saints Faith, Hope and Charity Chapel to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. They had met at a Rum Swizzle Party in Bermuda, where they later honeymooned.

Essie was employed as Secretary to the Director of Public Affairs at CBS News in NYC until 1961. In that role, she occasionally assisted Walter Cronkite. Essie later devoted many years to raising her two children in Holmdel, New Jersey, before returning to work as a secretary at the Holmdel Intermediate School.

In 1988, Essie and George retired to Williamsburg, Virginia, where they lived in Ford’s Colony and later Williamsburg Landing. Essie was active in several organizations and volunteered with Colonial Williamsburg, as a tour guide, and FISH (Friends in Service Here). Essie had a fondness for hummingbirds, an animal that reflected her stature and boundless energy. Essie loved to travel and visited many countries in western Europe and North America with George. She also served as the family vacation planner and map navigator during family road trips up and down the east coast in their wood-paneled station wagon. Above all, Essie deeply loved her family and cherished time spent with her husband, children, and grandchildren.

Essie was preceded in death by her husband of nearly 60 years. She leaves behind her two children: Kevin Welch (Karen) and Lisa de Groot (Peter); grandchildren, Brian (Rebecca), Scott (Brooke), Kelly, Lauren (Saman), and Michael; two great-grandchildren, Andrew and Eli, and one great-grandchild due in February.

A funeral service will be held at 12:00 PM on Friday, January 23 at St. Bede Catholic Church, 3686 Ironbound Rd, Williamsburg. Interment will immediately follow at St. Bede Columbarium. At 1:00 PM, a reception will be held in the Charter Room at Williamsburg Landing, 5500 Williamsburg Landing Drive. Family and friends are invited to attend.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to the Faison Center, 1511 Markel Rd, Richmond, VA 23230 (faisoncenter.org - designate Faison Residence) or FISH Williamsburg, 312 Second St., Williamsburg, VA 23185 (fishwilliamsburg.org).