Katherine McGar McGar Welch

Katherine McGar Welch, known to all as Bittie, died Wednesday, March 6th in Dallas at Traymore nursing home. She was born in Houston on December 9, 1929 to Walter Warren McGar and Katherine Bisland McGar.

She was educated at the Kincaid School in Houston and Edgewood Park High School in Briarcliff Manor, NY. She then attended The University of Texas at Austin and graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in Education.

Bittie married Frank Welch, her husband of 61 years in Houston on September 20, 1951. They started their life together in Paris, France, where Frank had a Fulbright Scholarship and she taught at the American Army School. They returned to Houston in 1953 to start their family and Frank’s career as an architect; then settled in Midland in 1960 and raised their three children. In 1983, they relocated to Dallas.

All who knew Bittie were enchanted by her unique personality. She possessed an irresistible southern charm, a refined manner with a dash of bohemian sensibility and a quaint and humorous view of life. She loved antiques and had a rare eye for the beautiful and uncommon.

Bittie is preceded in death by her parents, her son Baker Welch, her grandson Nicholas Caroland and her sister Elizabeth Oviatt.

Her husband Frank, daughters and sons-in-law Liz and Ed Tirrell of Austin; Woo and Trey Caroland of Nashville and grandsons Clay Caroland of Houston and Dallas and Franklin Tirrell of Austin survive her. She is also survived by nieces Susie Shands and Kathy Balch and nephew Philip Oviatt and their families.

She may be remembered by contributions to the Baker Thompson Welch Scholarship Fund at Choate-Rosemary Hall School, Wallingford, CT or the Nicholas Cage Caroland Scholarship Fund at Montgomery Bell Academy, Nashville, TN.

A memorial service will be held at 11:30am on Monday, March 11, 2013 at Episcopal Church of the Holy Trinity. Online condolences may be offered at www.ellisfunerals.com.