Cleta Hester (Miller) Welch-Carr

Graveside services for Cleta Welch-Carr, 96, of Portales, will be conducted at 10:00 AM, Fri., Nov 13, 2020 in the Portales Cemetery with Rev. Brad Morgan officiating.  All family members and friends will serve as honorary pallbearers.  The family will receive guests at the funeral home on Thurs. evening from 6 to 8 PM.

Cleta Hester Welch-Carr was born Oct. 8, 1924 in Corrine, Oklahoma to the home of Florine Gwendolyn (Ballard) and Robert Hester Miller, and passed from this life on Nov. 10, 2020 in Portales, NM.  Cleta’s family moved to the Bethel community in 1935, and on Dec. 13, 1938 she was married to Wayne Welch.  The couple was blessed with the birth of a son and a daughter.  She and Wayne bought a farm in 1945, and farmed their until his death on Aug. 1, 1994.  On Oct. 12, 1996, she was married to Jack Carr.  They made their home in Portales.  Cleta enjoyed traveling and going to antique car shows with Jack.  She was always trying new crafts.  After she was 40 years old, Cleta taught herself to play the piano, and for 20 years she served as the church pianist.  She gave that up when Wayne became ill.  Her children and home were her main interests for many years.  Cleta was a member of the Calvary Baptist Church at the time of her death.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Nita Gail and Mike Smith of Portales; one grand-daughter, Andria Hernandez; and four great-grandchildren, Harleigh Judah, D’Anna Stewart, K’Leigh Stewart and Robbie Stewart.  In addition to her husband, Wayne, Cleta was preceded in death by both of her parents, a brother, William Harold Miller, a son, Derrell Wayne Welch who died Dec. 4, 1996, and by her second husband, Jack Carr who died Aug. 17, 2007.

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