John Vincent Welch

John V. Welch, husband of Marcy Welch, son of the late Mr. William J. and Ann V. (McGinn) Welch. Jack graduated from St. Raphael Academy in 1949 and graduated from Rhode Island College of Education in 1953. Jack also received an M.Ed. from Bridgewater State College for Teachers. He served in the Army Security Agency as a Russian linguist in Austria and Germany during the Korean War.

Jack was a teacher and beloved principal in Warwick, leading John Greene and then Hoxsie schools. He thoroughly enjoyed the students, playing ball with them during recess, greeting them and their parents every morning by name, and teaching the student body to march in faux military style to their classrooms. His initial retirement was short-lived. He went on to teach geography for ten years at St. Mary Academy, Bay View, East Providence. He loved this position and the Bay View community.

Jack was  very active in volunteering. During the different stages of his life, he served in many capacities in his church from lector, Eucharistic minister, parish council, school board member, engaged couples retreats and CYO Search programs. Jack also volunteered in the Boy Scout program as Asst. Scout Master and Troop Committeeman and enjoyed his second childhood at Camp Yawgoog. He also coached the girls’ softball team, Hojo’s for the Warwick Recreational Department.

In his younger days, he enjoyed taking his family, their friends and sixth graders to Mt. Monadnock. Hacking at golf was a favorite summer activity, that later progressed to sailing on the family boat, Green Eyes. The family enjoyed many years of sailing and sleepovers anywhere in Narragansett Bay or to the islands. In recent times, bicycling became the favorite pastime. Jack also instructed his colleagues from the school department in the finer skills of poker and hi-lo-jack at the Knights of Columbus.

While teaching geography at St. Mary Academy, he was bitten by the travel bug and became a group leader for People to People and escorted high school students to foreign countries from Russia to Australia. Later, Jack and his friends cycled in France, Holland, Austria and Germany.

Toning it down from overseas travel, Jack became a tour guide for the Providence Preservation Society and the RI Historical Society. He enjoyed meeting various people and learning about the history, people and architecture of Providence and R.I. During this time, he delivered meals to the homebound for Meals on Wheels and volunteered at the Providence Convention Center, greeting visitors at the Providence Warwick Visitor’s Information Center.

Jack is survived by his wife Marcy of over 66 years, his sisters, Sister Ann Welch, R.S.M, of Warwick, and Mary Jane Welch of Warwick, his sons John Welch (Soudabeh) of Jamestown, Joseph (Jacqueline) Pompano Beach, Fl, his daughters Kathy Naughton of North Kingstown, and Karen of Watertown, Ma. He was the father-in-law of Donald Boutin of Purling, NY. He and his wife also have 7 wonderful grandchildren, Molly, Sean, Jay, Jenni, Aidan, Ellen and Joey.

He was predeceased by his daughter Maureen Boutin, Purling NY, his sister Nancy Ellen Welch Maynard, Kingston, RI,  his brothers  Lt Col. William Welch (Martha) of Euless, Tx and James Welch (Sally) of Barrington. He is also survived by many beloved nieces and nephews with whom the family celebrated annual reunions at Watch Hill for twenty years.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00AM on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, at St’s Rose & Clement Church, Warwick. Interment with Military Honors will follow at the RI Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Exeter.

Visitation will be held on Monday, September 1, 2025, from 4:00PM-7:00PM, in the URQUHART-MURPHY FUNERAL HOME, 800 Greenwich Avenue, Warwick , RI

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: McCauley House, 622 Elmwood Ave., Providence, RI 02907

www.murphyfuneralhomes.org.

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