Mary Lou Welch died Nov. 15, 2005 at home. Services will be at 10 a.m., Friday, Nov. 18, 2005, at St. James Episcopal Church, 110 N. 10th St., Payette. Arrangements are under the direction of Cremation Society of Idaho.

She was born June 7, 1930, in Oklahoma City, Okla., she spent her early years there and in Fort Scott, Kan. Her father then entered the military and Mary Lou graduated from Wiesbaden Dependents' High School in Wiesbaden, Germany, in 1948. She graduated from Washington State University in 1951, with a major in radio speech. She was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority at Washington State. She married Dwaine L. Welch, Aug. 26, 1951, in Spokane, Wash. They moved to Payette in 1953. Mary Lou taught several years at Payette Junior High School and in later years, worked at Eastside Elementary School in Payette. She was a member of Chapter C. (P.E.O. Sisterhood), St. James Episcopal Church and former member of Payette Friday Musicale.

Mary Lou and Dwaine have three children, Jim (Celeste), children, Matthew and Kellie Welch, Los Altos, Calif.; Patty, daughters, Kathleen and Clara Balestrieri, Arlington, Va.; Nancy (Rich), daughters, Lauren and Ari, Levine, San Francisco, Calif. Mary Lou is survived by one brother, Charles Cress, Fort Scott, Kan. Her parents preceded her in death.

Memorials may be made to St. James Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 203, Payette, ID 83661, or The Leukemia-Lymphoma Society- Idaho/Montana Branch at 600 N. Curtis Road. Ste 170, Boise, ID 83706.