Carol Welch

On the morning of December 17th, 2019, as a gentle snow began to fall over New Hampshire, Carol Lee Welch (age 76) passed away peacefully at her home in Concord surrounded by her loving family. She now joins her husband, Ashton Everett Welch in heaven.

Carol will be remembered by all who had the pleasure of knowing her as a kind, compassionate, inquisitive, gentle, nurturing, patient, and wise woman who possessed a rare level of intelligence, grace, and strength.

She was born in Concord, NH on April 3, 1943 the daughter of Dana and Betty (Lamarre) Craigue and was raised on the family farm where they grew crops, raised animals, milled lumber, and quarried granite. At a time in our nation’s history of widespread food shortages and economic depression, the Craigue family farm enjoyed self-sustaining abundance.

After graduating from Concord High School, Carol went on to study humanities, European history and anthropology at Plymouth State College and the University of New Hampshire. She then enjoyed a dynamic career in international sales and marketing at Northern Telecom, Northeast Electronics, Thermal Technology, and L.L. Bean.

Carol was passionate about fine art, literature, world culture, cuisine, music and ancient antiquity. She loved the adventure of the open road and enthusiastically explored landscapes from the volcanoes of Hawaii, to the Rocky Mountains of Montana, where she lived for several years on the outskirts of Helena, MT. Most of all, she loved being in the presence of the ocean.

Carol leaves behind her a legacy of 6 sons and their families; Michael and Kim Lee Crowley of Epsom, NH; Derek Welch of Lunenburg, MA; Jeffrey and Kimberly Ann Crowley of New Freedom, PA; Craig Welch and Stefany Shaheen of Portsmouth, NH; Trent and Katie McKinnon Welch of York, ME; and Adam Eron Welch of San Diego, CA; as well as 13 grandchildren, and 3 great grandchildren. Her loving sisters are Susan Branch of Gilford, NH, and Tracy Craigue of Penacook, NH.