WESTFIELD – Jeannine Arlene Welch (Allen), 79, died Friday, July 18, 2025, at her home, with her daughter by her side. She was born September 17, 1945, in Quechee, Windsor, Vermont. She was the daughter of John Rix and Evelyn May Allen (Howe).
In 1964 she graduated from Rock Point School for Girls in Burlington VT; she and some of her friends called it the Rock Point School for snobbish girls. I remember asking her why, she said because they had to walk a certain way from the school to church, heads held high. 1965 she enrolled in a federally- funded cooking school, her instructor was William Counos, the class was held at Bellow Free Academy, Vermont. She graduated in 1966, with 570 hours of cooking instruction in 19 weeks.
Jeannine lived in Georgia, New York, Colorado, Germany and Kentucky. She loved to travel, many trips to Tennessee, one of the trips we called the Cereal Box Top trip, to visit Opryland, her sister Shelby, and her twin boys and husband Philip, her sister Virginia, and her daughter Nancy and grandson Toby were with us on that trip. She went to California in ’88 where she flew out for her daughter Michelle’s graduation from middle school and her son David’s graduation from high school. We went to Las Vegas, Calico the ghost town where her son worked. Hollywood, where yes, she got a picture of her favorite actor Clark Gable’s Hollywood Star. We went to Roy Rogers Museum where she met him and had her picture taken with him.
In 1982 she moved from Kentucky back to Vermont. She lived in Enosburg Falls, VT, where she would meet and fall in love with her soulmate, James D. Welch. She worked as a cook in Eddie’s Restaurant. Her and dad moved a year or so later, to Westfield, MA, where dad was born, and where some his family still lived. Here is where mom went to work for her best friend Maggie at the Good Table. The stories those walls could tell. This is where most people in Westfield knew our mom from. She also worked at the Four Mile Country Store, Richards Grinders and Catering. She and dad moved from Russell to Westfield; this would be their last move. They moved into the house part of The Elm Motel. Both of our parents were retired. But anyone who really knew our mom knew she couldn’t sit still, and she would help out around the hotel.
She married James D. Welch on Father’s Day of June 18, 2006, in South Strafford, Vermont. They were married at her sister Shelby and her husband Philips’ home, surrounded by friends and family. I only found out a few weeks ago that mom was the one who asked dad if he wanted to get married. The trips they would go on to Hampden Beach and Old Orchard Beach with mom’s sister Virginia, especially for the 4th of July. They loved to just get in the car and go for rides, car shows; fairs. They always worked together as a team; they were together for 42 years and last month married for 19 years.
Mom was all about family and having a good time. The hours her and her sister Virginia would sit and play their dice game, till the wee hours of the morning. Only God knows how many games they have played over the years, thousands if I had to guess. Father’s Day and Christmas get togethers at her sister Shelbys. Their annual girls vacation at her sister Shelby and her husband’s cabin, in Vermont. Their annual girls visits to Massachusetts for mom’s birthday, where funny enough, they stayed at the place where mom and dad lived, The Elm Motel. Visits when we could get up there, staying up late sitting around the table and just talking about everything and anything. The family would come for visits, or she would visit them. Last year was a much-needed family get together for all of us.
She loved her daughters and son, and grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Everyone knew her grandsons, Josh and Chris, were her world. She loved when they just stopped in to say hi, sent texts or just called to say hi and see how she was doing.
She leaves her daughter Bonnie Jean Giles, her son-in-law Hollis Giles both of Becket, her grandson Joshua David Sherwin of Lee. Her youngest daughter Michelle Lee Lucia, and her fiancé Eric Samson of Landis, North Carolina. Her grandson Christopher David Lucia and his girlfriend Ally Borchardt of New Berlin, WI. Stephanie Lampman and her husband Alan, granddaughters Danielle Yerry, Samantha Welch, Kendra Lampman, Jamie Lampman. Daughter Jenifer Santor and husband Scott. Granddaughters Larrisa Marchand, Kortni Monette, and her grandson Dakota Santor, all of Vermont, Daughter Katrina Welch, of Florida. She also leaves 9 great grandkids.
She leaves her sister Virginia Durphey, nephew Richard Coleman, and niece Patricia (Patty) William all of Windsor, Vermont. Her sister Joanne Neily and family of Canaan, New Hampshire. Her sister Shelby Coburn and her husband Philp Coburn of South Strafford, Vermont. Her nephews, Mitchelle Brown of New London, CT and Brian Kenyon, of South Royalton, Vermont. Her brother Adrian Allen and his wife Paulina and family of Enosburg Falls, VT. She also leaves her sisters-in law Mary Fisher of Westfield, and Teresa Rowe and Ruth Bloking of Southwick. She also leaves many nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her brother John Rix Allen, Jr. Her sister Patricia Allen, her brothers Fred Allen and Alan Dale Allen. Her husband, James D. Welch on July 23, 2024. Her sister-in-law Dorene White, December 24, 2024, both of Westfield. Her only son David Scott Smith, June 25, 2025, of Warren, Michigan. Her nephew Bruce Kenyon, June 26, 2025, of Watertown, Tennessee. Her granddaughter Makayla W. Shedrick, July 9, 2025, of Alburgh, Vermont.
She also leaves behind the following people: The crew from The Good Table, Maggi her best friend, Joe, Angela, Jill, Missy, Stella, Danielle, who watched Joshua a couple of times, he still remembers and talks about that, and Eddie; I know there are more, but the names elude me. The Good Table, a big family in itself, where mom was affectionately called Jeannie Beanie, and White Russians were on tap. Where her grandson, Josh, was traumatized, and angry with his mom. For I had set up his grandma to have a pie to the face, for her birthday, a well-known Good Table tradition. He really did try to warn grandma, don’t go out that door. There are so many stories; this is just one of the many stories shared around the table at family gatherings. She leaves behind another best friend, her partner in crime, Kathy Bixby of Westfield, you couldn’t take these two anywhere without them doing something. One trip to Putney, VT, they get out and peanut shells fall all over the ground. The question that we all had, are the spitballs still there? Her Favorite DAUGHTER Jill Barber and her partner Sean Halliday, of Westfield her granddaughter Jess Barber of Springfield. Brenda Rivera and her family of West Springfield, who would always run into mom at Walmart. Her grandsons, Brandon Desmarais of Springfield. Jake Hawley of Westfield. J.D. Schnieder of Georgia, Zach Tank of Lee, Keane Decker of Lee, Josh Steadman of Dalton, Zach Steadman of Adams, Aaron Steadman, Tylor Steadman. She leaves her granddaughter Annabelle Day of Adams. She also leaves her daughter Stacie Faille of Pittsfield. Her friend Beverly Braman of Russell, who she shared a lot of phone calls and laughs, visits, food and goodies with including their love of Elvis. Her son Kenneth Garrett of Westfield. Bobbie and Donna from the Four Mile Country Store. Her family at the Elm Motel, Anita Horney, John Gazda, Himali Patel, Audi Patel and Pragnesh Patel, affectionately named Peter by our mom, of Westfield. The customers that would come and stay, mom made many new friends, some she already knew. Flora who works just down the street, where mom would go get her ice cream and play her lottery, of Westfield. There are so many more people, you couldn’t go anywhere in Westfield with our mom, where she didn’t stop to talk to someone she knew for 15 minutes or more. Then again, us girls couldn’t go anywhere in Westfield, or do anything without it getting back to our parents.
Our mom was bigger than life it’s self. She loved life, people, food, cooking and anything chocolate and a good drink! As she got older she would tell people, she wasn’t a baker. But I remember she was, the train cake she made for her son David’s birthday one year. The bunny cake she would make for Easter. But she loved her cooking, dad would always say Jean, you make enough to feed an army. She did, and she would send food to whoever was around. She was all about family, and you didn’t need the same DNA, everyone was family. She was a daughter, sister, a mother to many, wife, a grandmother to many, aunt to many, and a good friend. She loved her Gone With The Wind, Godzilla, Elvis, Pink Floyd, Clark Gable, and the ugly painting that hung in the dining room, she got when we lived in Germany. Which will now hang in our house, as I promised her I wouldn’t get rid of it. Her love of moose anything moose, her only regret, she never got to see a live one, now she can see as many as she wants. Her laugh was so infectious when she got going. She absolutely loved decorating for the holidays, yes those that know our mom Christmas was her biggest one! Her loss has left a big hole, that can never be filled. But we have our memories, and pictures, that we will never forget. The mold was broken when they made our mom.
Our family would like to thank the Westfield Police Department, Fire Station and EMT’s who showed up to help. Thank you to the EMT who talked to me and explained everything to me, you taking the time to talk to me and explain what you did to me meant more than you will ever know. To the officer who stayed while we waited, thank you. The Firtion Adams funeral home, who has been very helpful through this process, thank you again for everything you’ve done. Thank you to those who have been there for us and helped us out in our time of need. To Mike, from New York #7, thank you for card and gift, and taking the time to talk to me. Thank you to the customers who took the time to talk to me tell me stories about our mom, it helped more than you know. Most of all, thank you to those of you, and you know who you are, that helped take care of my parents, checked in on them. Made sure mom went out to family picnics, after dad passed, took her to doctor’s appointments, while I had my hands full up here. I went down and stayed with our mom back in April before she had her first surgery, until she passed away. Those are times I will cherish forever. Her 5-6 p.m. phone calls from her friend Kathy, they talked just about every night. Her 7:30 phone call to her sister Virginia, who in all honesty was more like a mom to her, they talked every night around the same time. Her looks when I walked by that said, it’s ice cream time. Our long talks into the early mornings, playing dice, and just having a lot of laughs and good times. Our little inside jokes, her smile. I will miss our talks that lasted well into the mornings. But just remember, she’s where she wants to be, with her husband, where they can once again do their ritual goodnight to each other. She is with her son and her family. But she will always be looking down, watching over us, like she did in life!
Honoring our mom’s wishes, there will not be a wake or funeral. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. Please know that we will not just be laying our mom to rest, but our dad and our brother too. Donations in Jeannine’s name can be made to your charity of choice.
