Joyce Welch

Joyce E. Welch, 83 of Sterling, Illinois passed away on Friday, April 8th, 2016. She was born March 11th, 1933 to Sterling W. Carter and Mary (Fritz) Carter. She married her childhood sweetheart, William H. Welch on December 24th, 1949. Joyce and Bill were married for sixty-two years and together they raised six children. Joyce was a member at St. John’s Lutheran Church and enjoyed singing in their choir. She was an avid lover of animals and also spent many hours researching true crime stories. Joyce is survived by children, Randee (John) Malmberg of Rockford, Jon (Linda) Welch of Rockford, Lori (Kevin) Jackson of Naperville, Lisa (Mark) Friederich of Wildwood, Missouri, and Jennifer (Craig) Wilkens of Rockford; grandchildren, Mathew McClelland, William (Lisa) Draugelis, Caitlin and Colin Welch, Molly Jackson, Amanda (Tyler) Luellen, Danica and David Friederich; great-grandchildren, Maddie Draugelis, Vivian and Max Luellen; siblings, Carol (David) Mott of Hayward, Wisconsin, Charles (Kathy) Carter of DeForest, Wisconsin, Maredith (Larry) Handel of Rancho Santa Margarita, California. She was preceded in death by her husband, William; daughter, Kristin (Todd) Weinrich; grandson, Jacob Friederich. Special thank you to the kind staff at Presence Cor Mariae Center in Rockford for the exceptional care they provided to our mother and grandmother during her stay. The Rev. Mark Oehlert will officiate the private graveside service at Oak Knoll Cemetery on Wednesday April 13, 2016 Arrangements were completed by the Schilling Funeral Home and Cremation, Sterling.