Claire Joan Welch

With love, we share the life of our mother, Claire Joan Carter Welch, born November 12, 1937, in Rexburg, Idaho to William F. Carter and Sylvia L. Pearson. The only girl in the family, Claire had two older brothers (Bill & Kyle) and one younger brother (Dan). She described herself as a tomboy. Claire would come home from school and put on an old pair of her brother’s jeans, tucking her pressed and starched dress into them to go out and play. She loved playing basketball and could handle the ball as well as her older brothers. She would have loved to compete on a team but those didn’t exist during her school years. At that time, girls were only allowed to play half-court in PE.

When Claire was seven years old, the family moved from Rexburg to a farm in Sugar City where she lived until she married. She loved harvest time - tromping hay and watching the threshers when they came. She also picked potatoes earning three and a half cents per basket. 

Her senior year of high school, Claire started working at JCPenney. It was there she became friends with another employee who introduced her to Keith Welch who had just returned from his service in the Army. Claire reported to her parents that he was a “real man with whiskers”. She was smitten from the beginning. They had their first date in January of 1956 and married January 11, 1957, beginning their life together in Idaho Falls. That is where all four children were born - Phil, Julie, Andrea, and Winston. They were married for over 66 years and truly became one in mind and heart.

Claire was not one to sit down and relax. Her favorite part of life was being with family. She liked all that came with being a busy mom trying to keep up with two teenagers, a tween and a toddler. Mom and Dad supported all the kids by attending every ball game, competition, recital, and even the high school formal dances, just to see the fun. 

Claire usually had a “side hustle” going to help support the family. Before kindergarten was added to the public-school system, she owned and taught kindergarten for 9 years in Idaho Falls. 

Mom and Dad chose the adventure of moving from Idaho to Medford, Oregon after 22 years of marriage and then to Salt Lake three years later. They were happy about each move, especially when they decided to move to the Brigham Apartments in downtown Salt Lake City in 1998.

Claire paid attention to detail and it showed in the way she dressed, how she kept her house and the meals she prepared. She was a pillar of service in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and her love of God showed in the service she gave. Claire and Keith served a mission at the London Temple where their love for the temple grew. Upon returning from England, Claire and Keith continued as ordinance workers in the Salt Lake Temple where they were well recognized for the service they rendered.

Claire is survived by her brother, Dan Carter, sister-in-law, Elizabeth Case, and children: Phil (Anita) Welch, Julie (Morgan) Andersen, Andrea (Brad) Mortensen, Winston (Cate) Welch, 13 grandchildren, and 22 great grandchildren. 

Claire was preceded in death by her husband, Keith Welch, brothers, Bill and Kyle Carter, and son-in-law, Morgan Andersen. 

A celebration of life will be held January 25, 2025 at the Ensign Stake Center, 135 A Street, Salt Lake City. Greeting and visiting with family will be from 10:00 -10:45 with the service beginning at 11:00. Her remains will be interred next to Keith at Camp Williams Veterans Cemetery, Bluffdale, Utah. 

If you feel compelled to honor her memory, we suggest you pay it forward to the next customer in a grocery line or at a drive-thru. Mom got a kick out of this act of giving.