Obituary of Marjorie Welch

Marjorie Welch (73) longtime St. Maries resident and educator died October 22, 2012 from injuries received in a motor vehicle accident on Benewah Creek Road. Marge was born on July 1, 1939 to Edgar and Eula (Dickerson) Faurot at Grant, Michigan. She grew up at Grant and graduated from Grant High School as Salutatorian of the class of 1957. She went on to attend Marion College ad Marion, IN where she graduated Suma Cum Laude with the class of 1961. She was registered in the Book of "Who's Who" for academic achievement. Marge went on to receive her Masters degree in Literature. She taught English and Spanish. In 1964, she joined the Peace Corps and received her training in Manhattan, KS. It was there that she met her future husband Frederick Welch. They served in Puerto Rico before going to the Dominican Republic. Fred and Marge were married on Nov. 3, 1964 at the U.S. Ambassador's home in Santo Domingo. They left the Peace Corps in 1965 and moved to Prospect, OR where she taught school. She moved to St. Maries, ID in June of 1971 and went to work for the St. Maries School District. She and Fred built their home on Shay Hill with logs off their own property. Their home was called Sky Island Ranch where they had a landing strip for airplanes and operated a tree farm. She and her husband were both accomplished pilots and had their own airplane. Her first position was at the Jr. High School where she taught English and coached the 7th and 8th grade girls basket ball teams. Marge transferred out to the High School where she taught Spanish I and II and English IV and was an assistant coach for the High School Track Team as well as High School Volleyball Coach. She supported all High School student activities and organizations . She also chaired the Spanish Club. Marge was a member and Past President of the St. Maries Education Assn. where she was involved for many years in negotiating teacher contracts. She retired in 2001 after 31 years with the school district. and went on to serv on the St. Maries School District Board of Trustees from her appointment in 2006 to her retirement in 2011. Her husband Fred, died last year . She and her husband had no children. Marge loved the out of doors. She loved to go black cap berry picking and would render the berries into juice that could be made into jelly. She loved huckleberry picking and was known to always "pack heat" when ever she went in case of running into bears.. She enjoyed hunting and her other interests including playing bingo, going to the Worley Casino with her friends and playing golf. Besides her many close friends and colleagues in education, Marge is survived by her sisters Dawnalee Snyder of Newaygo, MI and Carla and her husband Don Christy of Grand, MI , one niece , two nephews and six great nieces and nephews. A celebration of her life will be Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012 at 3:00 p.m. at the St. Maries Church of the Nazarene 175 Grandview Dr., St. Maries with Pastor A.J. Anderson officiating. The family suggests memorials to the St. Maries Foundation for Education P.O. Box 176, St. Maries, ID 83861. Visit her online memorial and sign her guestbook at www.hodgefuneralhome.com Read Marjorie Welch's Obituary and Guestbook on www.hodgefuneralhome.com.