Dorothy "Dody" Welch

Dody Welch, 89, of Newton, New Jersey, passed away on October 29, 2026. She was born on February 27, 1937, in Astoria, New York, before moving to Shelter Island, Long Island, New York. She graduated from Southampton School of Nursing in 1957, and married Alden Welch the day after.

Dody’s first nursing position was at a hospital in Hamilton, NY, home of Colgate University, where Alden was a student. She worked part-time at several hospitals in order to help support her family, and also began working toward a BA degree—an effort that took 15 years to complete. Over the years, Dody served faithfully wherever she was needed, including 18 years with Hamburg Public Schools as a school nurse then part-time work with Planned Parenthood after she retired.

Her life with Alden was marked by devotion to family and to the communities they served. She followed Alden with a two-month-old baby to Chicago and then to Garrett Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. Their family’s journey continued to Joliet, Illinois, where her husband was an assistant pastor, and then to Washington, DC. Dody and her family later moved to New Jersey when Alden became pastor of Methodist Church’s in Clifton, Clinton, South Plainfield, and Newton.

In retirement, Dody and Alden settled into the first home they owned in Sparta, New Jersey, where they lived for 26 years. They later moved to Bristol Glen Methodist Retirement Community in Newton.

Throughout her life, Dody’s faith was evident not only in where she worshiped, but in how she lived—steadfast, service-minded, and quietly generous with her time and gifts. Over the years she loved many cats and a special dog, sang in church choirs, and found joy in cooking, sewing, playing the piano, walking, and attending Sparta Methodist Church. She also carried her devotion beyond home through travel to Methodist events in Singapore and Kenya, exploring churches in England, assisting tours in Europe and Israel, and vacationing with family across the United States and Canada. At Bristol Glen, volunteered on Fridays to play piano.

Dody is survived by her three children, Amelia Welch Wallace, Drew Welch, Adam Welch; and five grandchildren. She is predeceased by her beloved husband, Rev. Dr. H. Alden Welch, her parents, Chester D. Sherman and Mary “May” (Coleman) Sherman, and three siblings.

A Memorial Service for Dody and Alden will be held on Sunday, December 6 at 2pm at Sparta United Methodist Church, 71 S Sparta Ave, Sparta, NJ 07871.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the United Methodist Homes Fellowship Fund (supportumcf.org/giving/).