[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 121 (Wednesday, July 29, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1156]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                REMEMBERING LEONORA TERESA BROWNE WELCH

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                     HON. EARL L. ``BUDDY'' CARTER

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 29, 2015

  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of 
Leonora Teresa Browne Welch who passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 
28, 2015.
   Mrs. Welch was born in Savannah, Georgia on June 23, 1928 and was 
the only child of Josephine Mollo and Palmer Carr Browne. She had many 
fond memories of her childhood with Italian family members on her 
mother's side, and growing up on her father's dairy farm, Kensington 
Dairy, which comprised the land known today as Kensington Park and 
Fairway Oaks.
   Mrs. Welch attended Cathedral Day School and St. Vincent's Academy 
where she was Valedictorian of her graduating class in 1946. She went 
on to study journalism at Armstrong College and worked at Citizens and 
Southern Bank.
   In 1952, Mrs. Welch married O.C. Welch, Jr., a Savannah native and 
engineer for the Seaboard Coastline Railroad, and by 1963 she was a 
busy mother to her eight children. She was affectionately called 
``Noni'' by her husband and later by her many grandchildren. The 
Welches were married for 43 years until Mr. Welch's death in 1996.
   Mrs. Welch was a devout Catholic throughout her life, and the Welch 
family were communicants of St. James Catholic Church where their 
children attended school before going on to attend St. Vincent's 
Academy and Benedictine Military School.
   As her children began to leave the house, Mrs. Welch found more time 
to avail herself to volunteer for several community organizations 
including Goodwill, but was especially dedicated to her work in the 
Diocese of Savannah and St. James offices. She also enjoyed a close 
circle of friends known as The BOF's--or Best of Friends--who met 
monthly for luncheons around Savannah. She was also active in the 
Daughters of Ireland.
   Mrs. Welch was a shining example of God's unconditional love, and 
was a loving and proud mother and grandmother. She is survived by her 
daughters Celeste Welch Crago and Julie Welch Cirincioni; and her sons 
Michael Warren Welch (Aino), O.C. Welch III, Daniel Kevin Welch, Brian 
Christopher Welch (Tiffany), Douglas Gerald Welch (Marcy), and Joseph 
Thomas Welch (Charlotte); 20 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.

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