Obituary of Helen M. Welch

Helen M. (McDonald) Welch, of Hingham, formerly of Fields Corner and Wollaston, died June 18, 2010, at Queen Anne Nursing Home in Hingham. She was 86 years old. She was the beloved wife of the late Edward F. Welch and loving sister of two deceased brothers, William and Walter McDonald; devoted mother of seven children, James and his wife Karen of Hingham, Robert of Centerville, Edward F. III and his wife Kathy of York, Maine, Mary Anne Renzi and her husband Michael of Centerville, Michael of Knoxville, Tenn., Stephen and his wife Kathy of North Reading and Joseph and his wife Elizabeth of Hingham. Also survived by 17 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews including Joanne Keefe and her husband Bill of Braintree. Her sister-in law, Mary Lou McDonald of Norwell also survives her. Helen was born and raised in the Fields Corner section of Dorchester. She graduated from high school in 1938 at the age of 15 and continued her education at the Boston Clerical School for secretarial training. She worked for Boston Gas from 1940-1946, where she met her husband Ed. Helen and Ed began raising their family in Wollaston and in 1963 the family moved to Hingham. Years later, Helen continued her career and eventually retired as the school secretary at the Fulton School in Weymouth. A funeral service will be held Wednesday, June 23, 2010, at 10 a.m., at Resurrection Church, 1057 Main St., Hingham, with the burial immediately following at The National Cemetery, Bourne. Visiting hours will be held Tuesday, June 22, 2010, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at McDonald Funeral Home, 809 Main St., South Weymouth. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Helens memory be made to the Alzheimers Foundation of America, 866.AFA.8484, or alz.org.McDonald-funeralhomes.com.