Barbara Jean Welsh, 82, passed away peacefully at her daughter’s home Sunday, July 1, 2018 in Houston Texas. Born August 23, 1935 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Clarence and Dorothy Lauer, Barbara was above all a beloved Mother and Grandmother.
Barbara graduated from St. Paul’s Catholic High (now Oakland High) in Pittsburgh. She worked as an executive assistant for Gulf Oil in Harmarville for many years. In 1976, she moved to Houston with Gulf and eventually she went on to become a florist and business owner in 1986—a self-made career she cherished. In 1994, she ‘semi-retired’ to Florida, enjoying the beach and an unexpected third career as a receptionist internal newsletter editor for Transitions Optical.
Barbara eventually returned to Houston where she worked part-time for Weatherford. In 2011, her granddaughter Jenna was born. From that point on, she dedicated her life to helping raise her. She would often say, ‘Jenna is my heart’. And indeed she was.
Barbara is best remembered for her love of baseball, her kitties and country music. She rarely missed a game with her beloved Astros, and was delighted to see them win the World Series in 2017. She also rarely missed the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, where favorites like Vince Gill and Alan Jackson often performed. And her love for cats is evident in the many strays she adopted through the years.
Barbara is preceded in death by her parents, Clarence and Dorothy Lauer, and sister Mary Kathryn Lauer. She leaves behind daughter Christine Welsh Mathers, granddaughter Jenna Elizabeth Mathers, cousin Lynne Shepard along with a host of extended family members in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
A graveside service will be held at Woodlawn Cemetery, 1101 Antoine Drive, Houston, Texas on Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at 10:00 am.