Carol Lee (Foster) Welch

Carol Lee Foster Welch, birth date 02/08/1945, date of death 02/02/2023. The following is a loving tribute to a remarkable woman.

Carol was born in Los Angeles, California to Lelan Arvin and Frances Maurine Christian Foster (both deceased) and grew up in the beach community of Manhattan Beach, California. Her lifelong love of the ocean started there in Manhattan Beach. Carol attended school in Manhattan Beach until her junior year in high school, when her parents moved to Carlsbad, New Mexico, where her father became the Chief of Police. Carol's family had often visited Carlsbad, where her mother's sister and her husband lived. Carol loved living at one of the potash mines in Carlsbad (during her summer visits) and often spoke of her great adventures in the New Mexico desert, finding arrow heads, riding in the back of a pickup truck, and hunting rabbits.

Carol chose her life's profession very early in life. By the seventh grade, she knew she wanted to be a nurse. In her early teens, she became a candy striper and at age 18, she got her first hospital job as a nurse's aide. Thus began a career of 50+ years working in hospitals as an LPN, RN, BSN and MSN. She worked in a variety of nursing jobs, including medical/surgical, dialysis, director of inpatient rehabilitation, risk management and as Chief Nursing Officer at Carlsbad Medical Center. Carol always loved working with patients, as well as being a mentor and teacher to many nursing and other professionals in the medical setting.

A second, very strong passion that Carol followed was being with her immediate and extended families. She provided great care to her elderly aunt, nephews and niece and spoke often of her love for her deceased parents. She had a very special relationship with her only sibling, her sister Nancy Kay Foster Caviness.

Carol chose her spouse simply by wearing a very cute nursing cap (as part of her uniform) on the day we met. Patrick was awe struck. The birth of our two sons remained her proudest moments and the loss of our youngest son, Ryan Michael Christian Welch, age 17, became a motivation to try to help others who suffered the loss of a child.
Our oldest son, Patrick Kevin Welch II, married his college sweetheart, Tisha Trujillo, shortly after college and they eventually gave birth to two beautiful grandchildren, Aiden Ryan Welch and Madysen Lee Welch. Carol felt very blessed to have these two young people in her life and poured her love into them constantly. For the last three years, we have had the pleasure of her great-niece, Randi Young, living with us. She and Carol became very close.

Briefly, a third, strong passion this passionate woman exhibited was a great love for animals of all kinds. We raised seven dogs, numerous wild cats, and two house cats, who continue to live at 24 yrs. of age. Carol always wanted to donate money to big cat refuges and local animal shelters.

Carol had come to a strong faith in God and our Lord Jesus Christ. She became quite active with the lady's ministry at Paradise Hills United Methodist Church in Albuquerque and was actively involved in church upkeep and improvements. Carol loved to sing (albeit quietly and often off-key). Her voice now blends with the angels.
Carol always showed great compassion for people in need, her family and her patients and co-workers. Many have expressed a deep sense of loss at her passing. She will be missed.

With great love, Carolee, I bid you farewell until we meet again on the other side.
Patrick