Alta Welch

Alta Lee (Cox) Patton Welch, 89, of Norris City, passed away at 6:00 A.M., Monday, October 10, 2016 at Wabash Christian Retirement Center in Carmi.  She was born in Alton, Illinois on February 12, 1927 the daughter of Orval and Opal (Phipps) Cox. Alta Lee married John Charles Patton on October 1, 1945 and later married Merle Gordon Welch on August 28, 1982 and he preceded her in death on September 14, 2011. She was a bookkeeper for Patton Oil Co., worked for Jones' Farm Store in Ridgway, taught school during World War II, and held her Real Estate License.  She attended Omaha General Baptist Church. Alta Lee was a member of OES, Norris City Quilt Guild, Gallatin County Home Extension.  Alta Lee was also  a 4-H Leader in her younger years and was an avid reader.

Alta Lee is survived by three daughters and a son-in-law, Peggy and John Sutton, Donna Patton, and Cande Mitchell, all of Norris City; a son, George Patton of Carmi; two brothers and a sister-in-law, Orvil Cox of Hazelwood, MO and Glen and Yvonne Cox of Norris City; four grandchildren, Sherri and Robert Swanson of St. Louis, MO, Monica Patton of Nashville, TN, Craig and Crystal Sutton of Bettendorf, IA, and Hannah Mitchell of Norris City; and five great-grandchildren, Jacob Swanson, Laura Swanson, Jillian Sutton, Tyler Sutton, and Ashlyn Sutton.  Alta Lee was preceded in death by three sisters, Deloris Ledford, Judith Battiger, and Cheryl Halat.

Funeral services for Alta Lee (Cox) Patton Welch, 89, of Norris City, will be at 2:00 P.M., Saturday, October 15, 2016 at Omaha General Baptist Church.  Burial will be in Palestine #2 Cemetery in Omaha.  Visitation will be held on Saturday, October 15, 2016 from 9:00 A.M. until service time at Omaha General Baptist Church.  Memorial contributions may be made in Alta Lee's memory to the Norris City Quilt Guild. Campbell Funeral Home in Norris City is in charge of  arrangements.