Sandra Welsh, formerly of East Hampton, died at home in Edwardsville, Ill., surrounded by family, on Jan. 22. The cause was cancer. She was 67.
Mrs. Welsh graduated in 1972 from East Hampton High School with a licensed practical nursing diploma. The following year, she married Wilbert Welsh and they moved to Illinois, where she attended the registered nursing program at Lewis and Clark Community College. She went on to a career at Anderson Hospital in Maryville, and later retired from Olin Medical in her home state.
“Sandy will be sorely missed by many,” her family wrote. “She was loving, kind, and sure could take some ribbing from her siblings. She loved us all and we loved her back more.” In her memory, her family suggested, “You can go to Main Beach to see the waves and smell the ocean breeze.”
A descendant of the Fithian family, Sandra Goodale Welsh was born at Southampton Hospital on Aug. 29, 1954, to Robert B. Anderson and the former Delores Fanning. After leaving East Hampton, the family said, she loved coming back for visits with her siblings, who survive. They are Robert B. Anderson Jr. of East Hampton, Susan Grimes of Montauk, Patricia Doyle of Sun City, Ariz., and April Laine of West Yarmouth, Mass.
Mrs. Welsh is also survived by her husband, Buddy Welsh, whom she married 49 years ago today, and their children, Kara Steelman of Edwardsville and Stacy Fox of Hamel, both in Illinois. She leaves five grandchildren, Molly, Adam, Brayden, Trevor, and Alex; two great-grandchildren, Kinley and Benson; an aunt, Jean Snow of Natick, Mass., and many nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Welsh was buried at St. James Cemetery in Edwardsville. Celebrations of her life are planned in Illinois in March and in East Hampton in August. Memorial donations have been suggested to the American Cancer Society, online at cancer.org, or the Alzheimer’s Association, at alz.org.
