HAMPTON, N.H. – Anna Kathy Welch (McGlothlin), 76, of Starbird Road, in Portland, passed away on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020 at the Cornerstone assisted living home after succumbing to complications associated with dementia.

She was raised in Covington, Louisiana, the daughter of Amy “Toots” Frederick McGlothlin and W.F. “Mac” McGlothlin. She was married to Michael R. Welch and the two lived in Portland until they divorced in 1994.

She was predeceased by her brother, Freeman McGlothlin. Anna is survived by her brother, Frank McGlothlin, sister-in-law, Fe McGlothlin, and nephew, Frankie McGlothlin of Covington, La.; her son, Patrick Welch, her daughter-in-law, Kristen Welch, and her granddaughter, Darcy Welch of Ipswich, Mass.; her daughter, Amy Welch-Olson and son-in-law, Dan Olson of Kennebunk.

Anna brought the best parts of her Louisiana heritage to Maine, and it is through these cherished memories and experiences that she will live on through friends and family. From classic southern cuisine like her Gumbo and Jambalaya (which could never be taught purely by her written recipe), to Christmas time classics like peanut butter balls and Mississippi mud, to quick corrections to incorrect yankee pronunciations of southern staples (craw-fish, not cray-fish) – she helped to instill a bit of Southern culture into an entire generation of New Englanders.

This all makes perfect sense, as throughout her entire life, Anna was always a teacher at heart. From dedicating her life to her chosen profession teaching students in Maine for almost 40 years, to sharing her knowledge and experience by teaching internationally in Japan, it’s impossible to measure the impact she had on so many lives throughout her career.

As with many who enjoy teaching others, Anna also had a lifelong passion for learning. She continually expanded her knowledge of nature throughout her life – through gardening and her love of animals, expanded her perspective through international travel with her family, and became an accomplished painter later in life with a focus on watercolors. As she continually grew as a person, she always shared her knowledge and experience with others, especially enjoying teaching people to paint.

Her final resting place will be at Saint Joseph Abbey in Saint Benedict, Louisiana. In light of current challenges related to COVID-19, there will be no formal services at this time. The family will be organizing a celebration of Anna’s life for friends and family in both Maine and Louisiana as soon as practicable in 2021.

You may offer your condolences or share your memories at http://www.jonesrichandbarnes.com

The family requests that expressions of sympathy take the form of contributions to:

The Animal Welfare Society / Cleo Fund

46 Holland Rd,

Kennebunk, ME 04043

http://www.animalwelfare

society.org