Sharon Welch

Sharon Farr Welch, 68, passed away on November 24, 2011, after a courageous four year battle with ovarian cancer. Sharon, born November 29th, 1942, in Tacoma, WA to Frank and Anne Morris Farr, was raised in Lame Deer and attended Lame Deer Grade School. She graduated from Colstrip High School in 1960 and the following year from Billings Business College. Among her honors were the 1959 Betty Crocker Homemaker of Tomorrow and “Billings Mother of the Year” in 1976. She was a proud, enrolled member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe. In 1965, she began working for the Federal government at the FAA in Alaska. After returning to Billings, she was hired by the Indian Health Service where she remained for 29 years winning numerous accolades for her outstanding service and retired as a contracting officer. Bored with retirement, she returned to work for 10 years at Walmart. Sharon also spent many years volunteering at the Billings Food Bank. Sharon loved natures beauty and all of her creatures. Not surprisingly, her flower gardens were beautiful. She was a sports fan and a regular at local high school sporting events. She was a fantastic baker of sweets, enjoyed the theater and would solve crossword puzzles in pen. Sharon was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Anne Farr, one infant child, grandparents Jesse Farr Speelman and Charles Farr; and Charles and Marguerite Morris. She is survived by daughter, Kim (John) Jones of Billings and her daughters, Randi Lyn Powell (favorite granddaughter) and Chelsea Kaye Daniken ( favorite granddaughter); by son, Shawn Welch of Billings and his daughter Mariah Antillie Welch (favorite granddaughter); by son, Dr. Corey Welch of Berkeley, CA; and her beloved cat, Spooky. She is also survived by her aunt(s) Marge Jenrich, Nellie Speelman, and Kitty Belle Fiddler; her four surviving siblings are best friend and sister Carole (Larry) Kreiger of Billings; Chuck (Beth) Farr of Colstrip; F.B. (Rose) Farr of Billings; and Irvin Farr of Colstrip; and finally, cousins, nieces and nephews too numerous to individually mention. Sharons special friends include Johanna Ohlhauser, Margene Tower, Loretta Burns, Alberta Fox, Gloria Waters, Franci Cellan, Katharine Pouta, Lorn Welch, her Walmart buddies and many others. Memorials: Memorials can be sent to the Billings Food Bank (P.O. Box 1158, 2112 4th Ave N., Billings, MT 59103 or online at http://www.billingsfoodbank.com/donation.htm), the Boys & Girls Club of the Northern Cheyenne Nation (100 Cheyenne Ave, P.O. Box 309, Lame Deer, MT 59043 or online at www.ncbgclub.org) or Riverstone Hospice (123 South 27th St., Billings, MT 59101 or online at www.riverstonehealth.org). Service: Billings services and reception will be held on Saturday, December 3, 2011, at 10:00am at the Dahl Funeral Chapel, followed by a graveside inurnment service at the Farr family plot within the Lee Family Cemetery at 3:00pm and a reception from 4:00pm-6:30pm at the Lame Deer Mennonite Church in Lame Deer, MT.