Goodbye to Sweet Veda

Wednesday was a rough day. Around 12:20 pm, I happened to check my email and found a message from my friend and mission companion, Megan, saying our dear friend and mission mom Veda Welch had passed away and there was a graveside service that same day at 1pm in Springville. I raced to change my clothes, got the boys ready, and sped down to Orem to drop them off with my dad. All the while, the reality of losing a dear friend hit me hard. I cried and cried and finally arrived at the cemetery with not an ounce of makeup on and very red eyes, just missing the service. I'm sure it was beautiful; their family is truly amazing. I pulled myself together only long enough to walk from the car to the gravesite. I saw Keith there and just lost it. I sobbed and sobbed into his hug. How ironic that the widower was the one comforting me. It was so wonderful to see him. He really hasn't changed in the 11 years I have known him, other than a brief frail moment while he battled cancer a couple years ago. His smile brightened many dark days on my mission and it has truly been a blessing taking my growing family to La Verkin and staying with them several times in the last six years. I just kept missing seeing his little sweetheart next to him and every time I looked at him, the floodgates would open.

I haven't seen them since their 50th wedding anniversary a year and a half ago, just before sweet Mom Welch had a stroke. Things slowly went downhill from there and her health hit a rapid decline around Christmastime and she passed from this life on January 30th peacefully in her home. It broke my heart that we didn't know about the services in Hurricane, UT, because we would have made the effort to have our family be there. It would have been the least we could have done since they opened their home to us so many times for softball tournaments, just passing through, and most recently, our trip not long before Veda's stroke when we spent some time in Zion National Park. We took them on a drive through a tunnel high in Zion Canyon and Keith filled the conversation with interesting historical stories and it was probably one of my greatest memories of spending time with the Welches. We just hung out and enjoyed each other's company. Harry was just a baby and Veda was smitten with him and the smile he flashed her anytime he saw her sparkly eyes. Luke had no problem calling them Grandma and Grandpa Welch from the first time he met them, and he immediately found the hiding place for all the grandkid toys! There was another time we stayed there when Keith came down to my mid-summer all-night softball tournament in St. George and he sat in the stands visiting with Jon into the wee hours of the morning. Before I knew Jon, I went down by myself once, and Keith and I had a marvelous time chasing little white dimpled balls around the Hurricane City Golf Course, laughing all the way at how pitifully we played.

The Welches truly are such a blessing in my life. And at this time I'm just so grateful for the plan that allows us all to be together again. I only wish I would have seen them more often and been a better friend these last couple years. How fortunate I am to have such amazing people in my little circle. I pray for her family, especially Keith, to be comforted and blessed during this transitional time. I miss you Veda, and I am a better mom since I knew you. The quote on her program sums up her awesome attitude: "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." (3 John 1:4)