This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: CRESSWELL, HIGGNBOTHAM, WELTCH, SCHALLER Classification: Obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/lNB.2ACI/4324 Message Board Post: Hazel M. Weltch, 84, of Cape Girardeau, MO died Monday, April 3, 2006 at The Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born April 15, 1921, in Potosi, MO, the daughter of the late Alonzo S. and Maude Essie (Cresswell) Higginbotham. She and George Loyd Weltch were married on September 14, 1946 in Farmington, Missouri. George was a veteran of World War II and died December 12, 1985. Mrs. Weltch taught 3 years in Washington County at Cruise School, 5 years in Potosi Schools and 32 years at Franklin School in Cape Girardeau. She had a B.S. degree in education from Southeast Missouri State University and a Masters of Education degree from the University of Missouri in Columbia. In 1975 she was listed in "Who's Who in Missouri Education." She was a life member of Missouri Sate Teacher's Association, AARP, and the Missouri Retired Teacher's Association. She changed her membership from Soule's Chapel Methodist Church near Potosi to Grace United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau on March 22, 1953. She is survived by a son, Bruce L. Weltch and wife, Sunghi of Newark, Delaware; a niece, Linda Schaller and husband Tim of San Francisco, California; and a great niece, Loren Schaller of San Francisco, California. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and a brother Howard Cresswell Higginbotham, who died June 19, 2003. Visitation was at Ford & Sons, Mt. Auburn Funeral Home on Wednesday, April 5, 2006 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. and Grace United Methodist Church Thursday, April 6, 2006 from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. Funeral services were held at Grace United Methodist Church Thursday, April 6, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. with Rev. Scott Moon officiating. Burial was at Cape County Memorial Park in Cape Girardeau, MO. Memorials may be made to American Cancer Society, 106 Farrar Dr, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701, or to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 1653, Topeka, KS. Ford & Sons, Mt. Auburn Funeral Home was in charge of Arrangements. Independent Journal, Potosi, MO, Thursday, April 13, 2006