Janet Lucille Welch (née Neikirk), age 94, died on March 25, 2025, in Wilmington, Delaware. Born in Baltimore, Maryland to Daniel Frederick and Mary Kathryn Neikirk on April 20, 1930, Janet’s life was marked by a deep commitment to family, education and service.
She is preceded in death by her parents and brothers, Richard, Edwin and Gerald Neikirk. She is survived by her sister, Lou Melmeck, of Oxford, Pennsylvania.
Janet met the love of her life, Stanley Crawford Welch, while attending Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. The two married in December 1950 and began their life together in Hagerstown, Maryland. Over the years, their journey took them to Augusta, Georgia; Andover, Ohio; Liberty and Houston, Texas; and ultimately Wilmington, Delaware, where they made their permanent home. Janet was the loving mother of Deborah, Les Progar of Milford, Delaware and Jack of Brookhaven, Georgia, as well as the grandmother of Zach Manning of Wilmington, Delaware.
Janet was dedicated to learning and teaching. While raising her family and working as an educator in Liberty, Texas, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Houston in 1969. She went on to teach elementary and middle school students for more than three decades, a career that reflected her passion for nurturing young minds.
Her devotion extended beyond the classroom into her community. Janet was an active member of Limestone Presbyterian Church in Wilmington. She served on multiple church boards and enjoyed singing with the choir. Her spirit of giving also led her to volunteer with Meals on Wheels and Delaware Hospice. For many years, she played a key role in organizing the annual Festival of Trees fundraiser for Delaware Hospice, an event that brought together community members in support of compassionate end-of-life care.
Janet experienced profound loss with the passing of her husband, Stanley, in 1990 at the age of 61 and later with the death of their eldest daughter, Deborah, in 2011 at age 59. Through these hardships, she remained resilient and continued to live a life rooted in purpose and compassion.
Her legacy lives on through those who knew her as a teacher who inspired generations of students, a volunteer who gave selflessly to others, and a woman whose faith and love of family guided every chapter of her life.
A Memorial Gathering will be held on June 21, 2025, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at St. James Millcreek Episcopal Church Parish Hall, 2106 St James Church Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19808.