Judith "Judy" Lee (Welch) Geren

Judith "Judy" Lee (Welch) Geren, 88 of Farmington, passed away on Thursday, July 23, 2015. She was born in Spencer, West Virginia, on August 20, 1926, to Mary Jane Reed and James Alfred Welch and spent her childhood and adolescence in Parkersburg, WV. As a child of the Great Depression, she recognized that her family was fortunate in having enough to get by and were rich in companionship and love, as she had a wealth of stories about her mother, father and adored brother, James A. Welch, Jr. She trained as a pianist, along with beginning her path as a life-long reader, learner, and intellectual enthusiast during those early years.

Attending the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music from 1944-1948, Judy continued her training as a pianist. After graduating, she moved to Marshall, Texas to teach music. She met Ashton Blanchard (Abie) Geren on a blind date, and he returned the next week to propose, a dramatically auspicious beginning to a loving partnership that lasted for over 66 years.

Judy and Abie married in 1949 and their daughter, Dana Lee, was born in 1950, followed by the birth of a son, James (Jim) Blanchard, in 1957. The family lived in various locales in Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Louisiana, and New Mexico during the early years of their marriage, and they settled in Farmington, New Mexico in 1966 joined by their good friends, Gus (d. 2002) and Barbara Byrom, in 1976. The two families were best friends and raised their children as honorary relatives, relationships that still continue with children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren on both sides mingling at shared reunions.

Judy taught piano for many years in Farmington, and there are several generations of piano players, who found her discipline and rigor guided them in performing and appreciating music. Dana and her children, who all perform and study music, also pay tribute to Judy's musical example. Judy attended First Presbyterian Church, participated in an investment club, played bridge, volunteered at a number of organizations in the community, and overall made the community that she lived in a better place. Judy loved to travel, and one of her favorite trips with Abie was a visit to Lithuania in 1993, just months after the fall of the USSR, to visit her son Jim and daughter-in-law Sarah, who were teaching there.

Her friends and family appreciated and will miss her candor, her humor, her lively conversation, her intellectual playfulness and, most of all, her warm and loving heart.

From her husband, children and their families, great thanks, appreciation, and love go to those who cared for Judy during her last few years. Those people include her godson, John Byrom, Lorrie Rodgers, Pam (Byrom) Rice, Merry Anne (Byrom) Sechrist, Rebecca Morgan and all of the staff at Namaste House. In addition, thanks goes to the larger community in Farmington for the visits and the companionship.

She is survived by her husband Ashton B. Geren; Son James B. Geren and wife, Sarah R. Marino; daughter Dana Schmitz and husband, Alan Schmitz; brother James A. Welch, Jr., and wife, Theresa Welch; four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Memorial service will be at 10:30 am on Thursday, August 13, at the First Presbyterian Church, 865 N. Dustin Ave., in Farmington, with Glenn Perica officiating. Interment will be at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to First Presbyterian Church (865 N. Dustin Ave., Farmington, NM) or to Childhaven Foundation (807 W Apache St, Farmington, NM, http://childhavennm.org/).

Judy is in the care of Brewer, Lee and Larkin Funeral Home, 103 E. Ute St., in Farmington, (505) 325-8688.