Rebecca Welch
Rebecca Azileen Welch, 97, of Hixson, a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister-in-law and aunt, met her Lord and Savior face to face on Sunday, August 5, 2018.
She was born on Jan. 13, 1921, at 3:30 p.m. in a farmhouse in Bradyville, Tn., weighing in at 2 pounds, so small she fit in a shoe box.
She went to high school in Woodbury, and to college at Andrew Jackson School of Business and Tennessee Temple Bethel College. She loved being a pastor’s wife and working with the youth and young people. Her door was always open with plenty of food. She also worked at Forrest Cate Ford and American Motors. Rebecca was a licensed insurance agent in Tennessee and Georgia, a member of the BBB and the Retired Officers Association. Her special friends were Pat Reed, the Lillie Mae Place workers and the members of the Widows Club. She was a member of Ridgedale Baptist Church. She will be missed greatly by her family and friends.
Besides her father, Lonnie H. Reed Sr. and mother, Nora Ann Anderson Reed, she was preceded in death by her soul mate, Dr. Harry E. Welch Jr.; brothers, Joseph W. Reed and Lonnie H. (Toots) Reed; sisters-in-law, Gertrude M. Reed and Lucille R. Reed; brother-in-law, Malcolm Hawkins; nephews, Ashton Shipley and James Harris and niece Donna Hawkins.
She is survived by her daughter, Darleen Welch Stapp Bauer and husband Michael; grandchildren, Rebecca Stapp Cacicedo and husband Juan, Rollin H. Stapp Jr. and wife Kathie; special daughter- in-law, Karen Stapp; great grandchildren, Carolina, Antonio, Megan and Courtney; brother, Spencer Reed; sisters-in-law, Virginia Reed and Louise Hawkins; nieces, Peggy Jean Reed (James Harris), H. Jean Reed, Claytie Jo Reed (Spencer Shipley), Risa Gail, Dayna and Becky (and their families); nephews, Frankie Reed, David Reed (Vicki), Dewain Reed, Eddie Reed, Darrell Hawkins and Ronnie Reed.
The funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 9, in the funeral home chapel with Dr. Bill Owens and Tony Wilson officiating. A private burial for family will follow at Hamilton Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made in her name to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, Ks. 66675-8517.
Please visit www.heritagechattanooga.com to share words of comfort to the family.
The family will receive friends from 4-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 8, at Heritage Funeral Home, East Brainerd Road.