Nancy was one of the most energetic and outgoing people in our Nashville community. In high school at Harpeth Hall, she worked summers as a lifeguard at Belle Meade Country Club, Richland Country Club and Hillwood Country Club. She also taught swimming at various private homes in the Green Hills and Belle Meade areas. She loved teaching children to swim. She loved sailing with her family and friends on Center Hill Lake in her father's US1 Design racing sloop, the "Lively Lady." She loved all sports, i.e. canoeing, water skiing, horseback riding, fishing and camping. She loved music and dancing. She was always the "belle of the ball" and often played the tambourine with Pat Patrick's Band if he asked her up on stage. In high school, she was a runner up in the Miss Teenage Nashville contest. In the summer of 1965 she was offered a movie contract on the beach in Destin, Florida. She was also interested in fashion, and at one time she thought about becoming a fashion designer. During her high school summers she worked with Jeanne Smith, who headed up the Bridal Department at Rich-Schwartz. She was her sister Mary's biggest fan. Then, in 1968, when she and her date were returning from a party on Christmas Eve, two drunk drivers hit the car she and her date were in and her life was changed irrevocably. After months of recuperation, she managed to finish college and was a Vanderbilt graduate. She went on to work for First American National Bank for several years and later worked for several years at St. Paul Senior Living Community as a receptionist. She made the best of everything and was an inspiration to her friends and her family, especially her sister Mary Welch Francis, who told everyone that Nancy was her hero, her best friend and her "bright star." She overcame adversity time after time. She had to have several operations over her 71 years, but took everything in stride. She was generous and patient and seldom if ever complained about the challenges she faced and had to overcome. If you were Nancy's friend, you would always be her friend. She never revealed a confidence and was slow to anger. She loved to travel and made two trips to Disney World, went on a one-week trip to Natchez, Mississippi and then went on a trip and cruise to Hawaii, where she and her sister visited all the islands after stopping off in San Diego for a brief visit there. She also traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina with her sister frequently to visit her cousin Carol Westbrook and her husband Jim, who was a golf pro at the Carmel Country Club. During her fight with lung cancer which overtook her life in less than three weeks, she endured devastating suffering, but always had a smile for her friends and family who came to visit. With her death, all agreed that our community had lost one of its brightest and loveliest ladies. Visitation with the family will be held on Friday November 2nd from 10-11 AM with a Celebration of Life Service to follow at First Presbyterian Church. Interment will follow at the Gallatin City Cemetery at 1:30 PM. Active Pallbearers will be Charlie Bryan, Allen Bryan, Leigh Branham, David Goodcase, Ken Emigh and Frank Englert. Honorary Pallbearers will be Alex Wade, John Rochford, Charlie Cardwell, Jeff Mobley and Paul Miller. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Nancy Lee Welch Benevolent Fund in care of Jeff Mobley 2319 Crestmoor Rd. Nashville, TN 37215.
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