Dear Musical Colleagues, Friends, and Family,
With a sense of deep loss, but also tremendous gratitude for her life, I send the attached appreciation of Sue Welch, who passed away in her sleep Friday morning, August 25, 2017 at St. Francis Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Laconia, New Hampshire. May she make heavenly music for eternity.
Funeral arrangements:
Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 291 Union Ave, Laconia New Hampshire. The services will begin with Calling Hours 12 Noon at the church. The Funeral mass will start at 1:PM. Following the mass, there will be the burial and following that, a brief gathering at the church hall for snacks and refreshments. Burial will follow at Sacred Heart Cemetery, Garfield St., Laconia.
Memorial contributions may be made to the New Hampshire Humane Society, PO BOX 572, Laconia, NH 03247. Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N.H. is assisting the family with the arrangements.
Funeral Home (603) 524-4300
Memorial Contributions may be made to the New Hampshire Humane Society.
Donna Maria Regis
Co-Founder & Artistic Director, ACCORDIONS NOW! Music Festival
Former Music Director, New Hampshire Accordion Association
regisdonna@yahoo.com
Suzanne “Sue” Gauthier Welch lived a meaningful life, its path largely carved by her love of music. Strongly encouraged by her piano teacher to continue her musical education beyond high school, Sue left her native Connecticut, headed north to Manchester, New Hampshire for a full scholarship at Notre Dame College, where she was president of her senior class. She stayed to live the rest of her life in the Granite State.
Sue graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Music in Piano and was promptly hired by her future husband, Arthur Welch, to teach piano and free-bass accordion at his expanding music studio. She and Arthur fell in love, marrying in early April 1972. Sue continued to teach but also managed the office until 1984, when they closed the Manchester studio and moved further north.
As Arthur devoted his career to performing, Sue worked as his indefatigable promoter. In 1991, the couple opened Accordion Connection LLC to handle an increasing demand on Arthur’s time for accordion repairs and sales, with Sue again managing the office.
In 2005 the Welches started New Hampshire Accordion Association [NHAA], offering Accordion Connection’s Music Room in Gilmanton as a friendly meeting place for the group. Sue served as Executive Secretary of NHAA, which, with Accordion Connection, proudly co-sponsored the very popular and successful ACCORDIONS NOW! Music Festival she co-founded. The festival went on hiatus in 2014 as the demands of organizing and running it became too exhausting. Despite the ever-encroaching symptoms of disease, Sue continued to maintain an active musical career as teacher, choir director, and accompanist at churches in Concord, Gilmanton, and Laconia.
Throughout seven-plus years of increasingly difficult treatments, Sue kept her sense of humor and never failed to appreciate the kindness and love of those who loved and cared for her.
She touched so many lives that her loss is incalculable. May she sing forever in our hearts.
