The daughter of the late Rollin Horace and Ruth Layman Wampler, she was born August 25, 1944, in Roanoke, VA.
On November 26, 1966, she married George C. Welch, Jr., who preceded her in death on April 24, 2003. Gretchen was also preceded in death by her son, George C. “Tripp” Welch, III and her brother, Jeffrey R. Wampler.
She is survived by her daughter-in-law, Teresa Welch, her grandson, Trevor Welch, her nephew, Paul Wampler, her nieces, Anne Morrison and Mary Browning, and her sister-in-law, Mary Austin.
Gretchen earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Salem College and went on to direct the Shenandoah Valley Choral Society from 1987-1997 and again from 1999-2000. She was the Director of the Choir for First Presbyterian Church, the Director of the Choir and Hand Bells Choir at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, and a founding member and director of the Daughters of Song.
She also loved cooking, entertaining, gardening and traveling.
A memorial service will be held on Thursday, June 9th, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. at Emmanuel Episcopal Church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Sunnyside Fellowship Fund at 600 University Blvd. Suite L, Harrisonburg, VA 22801.
Lindsey Funeral Home in Harrisonburg is handling the arrangements.
