Thomas J. Welsh

A service to celebrate the life of Thomas Jennings Tom Welsh, 90, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 27, 2011 in Pleasant Plain Baptist Church. Rev. Thurmond Johnson will officiate. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Mr. Welsh passed away on Sunday, April 24, 2011 in Springs Memorial Hospital, Lancaster. Tom was born on October 3, 1920 in Lancaster, S.C., he was the son of the late James Walter and Mary Alice Hilton Welsh. He was a graduate of Flat Creek High School. He served in the US Coast Guard during World War II serving on the USS Howard D. Crow. A lifelong member of Pleasant Plain Baptist Church, where he served many years as the church clerk. Mr. Welsh served on the Lancaster County School Board and was a founding Board member of the Springs Grace Bleachery Credit Union. He was also a member of Fork Hill Masonic Lodge # 316. Following his retirement from Grace Bleachery, he became the caretaker for the Forty Acre Rock Heritage Preserve and loved to deer and turkey hunt.

Surviving are his wife of 63 year, Billie Morgan Welsh, his daughter; Mary Ann Hinson and her husband Larry of Aiken and his son; Thomas J. Tommy Welsh, Jr. and his wife Cheryl of Kershaw, 3 grandchildren; J. Matthew Hinson, Elizabeth Marie Hinson and Jennifer Reese, 2 great grandchildren; Natallee Ann and Lucas Edwin Reese and a sister; Elise Ackerman of Rock Hill. He was preceded in death by 2 brothers; James and John Welsh and 5 sisters; Harriet Baer, Grace Funderburk, Azalee Roberts, Nell Faile and Helen Lee Welsh.

In lieu of flowers, Tom's family asks that you donate to the Alzheimer Association or the American Cancer Society in his memory.

The family will receive friends Tuesday, April 26, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the funeral home and other times at the home, 6761 Flat Creek Road, Kershaw, S.C.