Mildred Irene Welsh

Mildred Irene Welsh, a seventy year resident of Wibaux, Montana passed away on Sunday, June 14, 2015 surrounded by family at the Wibaux County Nursing Home . Visitation will be held at 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. on Tuesday, June 16, 2015 at the Silha Funeral Home in Beach, North Dakota and 9:00 A.M. until 2:00 P.M. on Wednesday, June 17, 2015 at the Wibaux Bible Church in Wibaux. A Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Wednesday, June 17, 2015 at the Wibaux Bible Church with Reverend Rick Varnum officiating. Interment will follow the services at the Beach City Cemetery in Beach. Silha Funeral Home of Wibaux, Montana has been entrusted with the arrangements. Mildred was the first born of Elijah and Lillie G. (Smith) Gibson in Johnson County, Arkansas. Although she was premature at birth, she thrived with a self-determination that would carry her through life. She grew up to attend country school through the 8th grade, until which time she was needed at home to help her parents tend to the growing family. At the age of sixteen, she married Carl Settle and moved to Lodge Grass, Montana to work on the Kennedy Ranch. He worked as a ranch hand and she as a cook and nanny. Mildred worked closely with Mrs. Kennedy under her tutelage and made many friends there among the cowboys and Native Americans alike, and was more than a little frightened by the sound of occasional native drumming all night long when they first arrived in the town. When Carl bought a water well drilling rig in 1943, they decided to move to Wibaux, Montana, and went into business. Carl drilled many water wells for area ranches as well as the city of Spearfish, South Dakota. For several happy years, Mildred was busy caring for sons Bob, Bill and daughter Ruby and helping Carl with bookkeeping for the business. Carl and Mildred made many friends in Wibaux, and as married couples sometimes do, Carl told Mildred that if anything ever happened to him, he couldn’t think of a better man than their friend, Eugene Welsh, to raise his kids. It was a fateful comment, as Carl suddenly passed away in October, 1951. Mildred kept the family together by taking in laundry. With the help of her Wibaux friends and her sister Dorothy, who had come to live with them and finish high school, they made it through a very tough time. Friendship eventually turned to love between Mildred and Eugene, and they were wed in 1954, fulfilling Carl’s wish for Eugene to raise his kids. The new family made their home at the Welsh family farm, east of Wibaux. The union created two additions to the family, Genie and Jim. The 1960’s were busy for Mildred. Life on the farm was a constant demand for her time, with a large garden to tend, several varieties of berries to be picked, and many animals to feed and water. Raising five kids, tending to the seasonal demands of farm and ranch life and making time for worship, and the Eastern Star, was her life, and she loved it. When children Bob, Bill, and Ruby started graduating high school, Mildred’s work load on the farm lessened so she decided to resume her cooking career and accepted a position in the Wibaux School cafeteria. She is well remembered by the kids of that time as the “lunch lady” who kept giving seconds & thirds until the food was gone or they were filled up. In 1975, Mildred and Eugene graduated their last child from high school and looked forward to many happy years together. Unfortunately, that was not to be. Her son Bill lost his life in a car accident in June 1976 and Eugene passed away in August 1977 after a short illness. Mildred soon returned to cooking and took a position in the Wibaux County Nursing Home kitchen. After retiring from the kitchen, she remained active at the Nursing Home by serving on the board for several years. In 1985, Mildred’s life was changed again when her son Jim and grandson Mike came to live with her. Always active in all her grandchildren’s lives, and there was no question that she would do all she could to help raise Mike, and she did just that. In 1990, at the age of 70, Mildred got the opportunity to help Genie and Jim in a new venture called Genies’ Kitchen. A lifetime of cooking for large numbers of people made her the perfect “commercial” cook, and her expertise was instrumental in getting the business off the ground. In 1997, Genie’s Kitchen purchased the Longhorn café and Mildred got a chance to live out a secret dream that she never told anyone about - be involved in a restaurant operation. She remained working there and later on in the Tastee Hut when Jim and Genie purchased that business, until her health prevented her from doing so. Mildred’s later years were filled with love and companionship from family and friends, and she remained as active as possible even after a heart attack and stroke. She was able to stay in her home until February 2015, when she returned again to the Wibaux County Nursing Home, this time as a resident. Employees were captivated with her delightful personality, as well as her spunk and tenacity, and many tears were shed on the day of her passing. Mildred was preceded in death by her husbands, Carl and Eugene; her son, Bill; her parents; four brothers; and one sister. Mildred is survived by her sons, Bob (Retha)Settle of Rapid City, South Dakota, and Jim Welsh of Wibaux; her daughters, Ruby (Toby) Tennant and Genie Welsh of Wibaux; a daughter-in-law Karen Wollan(Bill) of Raymond, Montana; grandsons Nash(Brenda) Wollan of Williston, North Dakota, Mike (Bekah) Welsh of Bozeman, Montana, Chris (Lorraine) Tennant of Port Hadlock Washinton; granddaughters, Lisa (Tom) Watson of Cody, Wyoming, Kate (Pat) Ruland of Broadus, Montana, Kerry (Derek) Ford of Big Fork, Montana; great-grandsons, Evan Settle-Wollan, and Matt Watson; and great-granddaughters, Delaney Ruland and Lucy Ford. Memorials may be made to the Wibaux County Nursing Home in her memory. Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at www.silhafuneralhomes.com.

Mildred Irene Welsh

July 19, 1920 - June 14, 2015

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Mildred Irene Welsh

July 19, 1920 - June 14, 2015

What We Do

Flowers & Gifts

Plan Ahead

About Us

Resources

Obituaries

Grief & Healing

Contact Information

365 Days of Grief Support