Jean Welch

Alva Jean Dornbusch Welch lost her battle with cancer and passed to her heavenly reward on February 5, 2023. She left this life surrounded by family and loved ones.

Jean was born on October 16, 1935, to Alvin and Elsie (Schroeder) Dornbusch. She grew up on the family farm in Knippa and graduated from Knippa High School in 1953. She graduated from Southwest Texas State College (now Texas State University) in 1958 with a degree in elementary education. While attending college, she met and married the love of her life, Donald Welch, who was stationed at Gary Air Force Base in San Marcos. She taught school for 5 years, then stayed home several years to raise their four daughters.

She worked for 30 years for the Internal Revenue Service, performing many jobs there, with the last 7 years in the Training and Development Branch, once again using her teaching degree.

Jean was an avid volunteer. She taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and Confirmation classes, sang in the choir, and served on the church council at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Austin. She served as a Girl Scout Leader while her daughters participated in the program. When the Internal Revenue Service began a program to help low-income persons file their income tax returns (Volunteer Income Tax

Assistance or VITA), she was one of the early volunteers, beginning in the 1980’s. She continued to serve the community in Austin in this capacity until she and her husband moved back to the Knippa Community. At that time, the program was just beginning in the Uvalde area, and she took a leadership position to offer Volunteer Income Tax Assistance to people in the Uvalde County area, where she acquired the nickname” The Tax Lady. A lifelong member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Knippa, she was baptized, confirmed, and married to her husband in the church. Upon her return to the area, she continued volunteering with choir, bells, and altar guild. She also served as a member of the church council, and as a lector and communion assistant.

Jean Welch was preceded in death by her parents, Alvin and Elsie Dornbusch, and her husband of 63 years, Donald Welch.

She is survived by daughters Donna Harrell and husband, Jim; Kathy DeKneef and husband Denny; Laura Foradory and her partner, Craig Scott; Elizabeth Stephens and husband Eric; four sisters, Lillian Hodges, Ruth Harder, Margaret Reus, and Linda Schuessler; daughters Donna Harrell and husband, Jim; Kathy DeKneef and husband Denny; Laura Foradory and her partner, Craig Scott; Elizabeth Stephens and husband Eric. Jean is also survived by many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren, as well as many dear friends she considered family.

Visitation will be held at Rushing Estes Knowles Funeral Home in Uvalde, Texas on February 10, 2023, from 6 to 8 pm. Funeral services will be held at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Knippa, Texas at 2 pm on February 11, 2023, with Internment to follow at Knippa Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Dornbusch Family Scholarship, in care of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Knippa, Tx.