Ellen "Jake" Welch

SHE WAS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH. A SMART, FEISTY LADY WITH A RAZOR SHARP WIT. IF YOU MET HER YOU WOULD BE HARD PRESSED TO FORGET HER. JIMMY AND CHRISTINE (PACENKA) DUNCAN HAD A SHOE REPAIR JUST PAST THE ARMCO BRIDGE. SHE, HER BROTHER AND 3 SISTERS LIVED UPSTAIRS IN THE BACK OF THAT SHOP WHERE SHE WAS BORN. SHE LOVED TO READ. WE LEARNED EARLY ON YOU WOULD BE FORGIVEN FOR BREAKING THE CRYSTAL BUT SPILL A DRINK ON HER BOOK AND YOU GOT SMACKED. WE RECENTLY BOUGHT HER A HUGE BASKET FILLED WITH ALL HER FAVORITE THINGS BUT ONLY ONE BOOK. WHEN WE GAVE IT TO HER SHE RESPONDED “OH WONDERFUL! I GOT A BOOK!” HER SECOND LOVE WAS SPORTS. WHEN ASKED WHAT SPORTS SHE ENJOYED, SHE SAID, “ALL OF THEM!” SHE GRADUATED FROM CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL IN 1951. SHE AND HER SISTERS WERE PROUD TO BE PART OF A GIRLS SPORTS CLUB, “THE OLYMPIANS”. SHE PLAYED VOLLEYBALL, TENNIS & SOFTBALL. SHE WAS AN “ALL AMERICAN” SHORT STOP FOR THE KANSAS CITY DONS AND PLAYED IN CANADA WITH THEM AT 15. WHEN SHE WON AT DOMINOES, SHE WOULD YELL “BINGO” SO OF COURSE, WE DID TOO. SHE DIDN’T JUST WANT TO PLAY SHE WANTED TO WIN 24/7 SHE WAS NOT OF THE “EVERYONE GETS A TROPHY GENERATION”. TEACHING WAS HER NEXT JOY. SHE GOT HER MASTERS IN PHYSICAL EDUCTION FROM K.U. SHE TAUGHT AT GLENNON AND VAN HORN. SHE WAS SO PLEASED WHEN A FORMER STUDENT WOULD RECOGNIZE HER. IN 1952 AT K.C. JUNIOR COLLEGE HER FIREND WAS DATING BOB WELCH AND HE WANTED TO LEARN TO PLAY TENNIS. JAKE WAS A BETTER PLAYER SO SHE INTRODUCED THEM. WHEN SHE ASKED HIM HOW HE GOT THOSE 18 INCH BICEPS AND HE SAID, “SWINGING BETWEEN CRUTCHES” WHILE RECOVERING FROM POLIO. HE WAS ATHLETIC, HANDSOME AND MANLY, BUT MAMMA DIDN’T LIKE HIM MUCH. HE ASKED HER TO MARRY HIM 3 OR 4 TIMES, ONCE WHILE THROWING UP DRUNK OUTSIDE HIS CAR. I ASKED HER WHY IT TOOK SO LONG TO SAY YES? HER REPLY, “I TOLD YOU I DIDN’T LIKE HIM MUCH”. FORTUNATELY FOR MY SISTER AND I SHE DID LOVE HIM. IN 1955 THEY WERE MARRIED AT CITY HALL. BOTH CONTINUED WITH THEIR EDUCATION THEN HAD DENI IN 1956. HE BECAME AN ATTORNEY AND SHE BECAME A P.E. TEACHER. IN 1968, DESPITE HER OBJECTIONS, SHE QUIT TEACHING WHEN ANDI WAS BORN. ANDI WAS A FULL TIME JOB. THEY PLAYED SPORTS TOGETHER, PARTIED, TRAVELED, DRANK, ATE, DANCED AND OF COURSE ARGUED FOR 70+ YEARS. THEY LIVED LARGE BUT THEY WERE SUGAR CREEKERS THROUGH AND THROUGH! I ONCE ASKED HER, “WHAT WAS THE BEST GIFT YOU EVER RECEIVED?” SHE INSTANTLY REPLIED “BOBBY”. HER FINAL LOVES WERE HER CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN AND GREAT GRANDCHILDREN. DAD WORKED A LOT SO SHE TOOK CARE OF US. THEN SHE AND DADDY HELPED WITH THE GRANDKIDS. MAMMA KISSED DADDY GOODBY EVERY MORNING WHEN HE LEFT FOR WORK AND SAID, “HAVE A NICE DAY AND BE A GOOD BOY.” HE CAME HOME ALMOST EVERY DAY FOR LUNCH FOR THE 53 YEARS HE PRACTICED LAW. THE WORLD IS A LITTLE LESS INTERESTING AND FAR MORE BLAND NOW THAT SHE IS GONE. SHE IS LOVED AND MISSED…BUT IN HER INFINITE WISDOM, WE KNOW SHE NEVER HAD A DOUBT! SHE LEFT THE GAME OF LIFE KNOWING SHE HAD WON! PREVIOUSLY DEPARTED: BROTHER-JAMES DUNCAN, SISTERS: ROSE HUFFMAN, PAT DUNCAN, PHYLLIS HANES. LEAVES BEHIND: KIDS: DENISE WELCH MACEY (BRYAN MACEY), ANDREA WELCH (JOHN JARVIS) GRANDKIDS: DANIELLE MASTERS, DUSTIN MASTERS (HAYLIE CHRISTENSEN), JACOB JARVIS, BRETT MACEY. GREAT GRANDKIDS: BODHIE, NICO & ISLA MASTERS * TO THE NEICES & NEPHEWS: SHE LOVED EVERY ONE OF YOU & YOURS * OUR THANKS TO THE FRIENDS, FAMILY AND CARETAKERS WHO HELPED KEEP OUR PARENTS AT THEIR HOME AND WITH US. WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU! MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL WILL BE HELD AT 4:00 P.M., FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 2026 AT NATIVITY OF MARY CATHOLIC CHURCH WITH A RECEPTION IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING AT V’s ITALIAN RESTAURANT. THE FAMILY WILL GREET FRIENDS FROM 2 TO 4:00 P.M., FRIDAY AT THE CHURCH. BURIAL WILL BE HELD AT A LATER DATE AT FLORAL HILLS CEMETERY. ONLINE CONDOLENCES MAY BE EXPRESSED TO THE FAMILY AT www.speakschapel.com