Colleen Caden Welsh

ST. MATTHEWS – Colleen Caden Welsh, 84, passed away on Saturday, July 28, 2012, after a courageous, graceful and characteristically good-natured battle with ALS.

Mrs. Welsh was born in Richmond, VA, spent her childhood in Frankfort and has been a resident of Louisville since 1942. She was a graduate of Atherton High School and the University of Louisville, where she was the only female in the UL School of Business at the time.

She was a member of Phi Beta Phi sorority, the Woman’s Club of Louisville, PEO and Crescent Hills Baptist Church.

Mrs. Welsh was well known all of her adult life for her prowess in the kitchen, which culminated in a 30-year career entertaining and feeding many, first with her La Caterie Catering Company, then Colleen’s Tea Room in Crescent Hill and finally The Colony Tea Room in St. Matthews. In her later years, she enjoyed yet another career as receptionist at Salon de Coiffure in St. Matthews. In addition, from 1969-1981, she touched many young lives as a preschool teacher at Highland Presbyterian Weekday School.

She is preceded in death by her husband, William John Welsh.

Survivors include her children, Sara Welsh, Thomas Welsh (Karen), Margaret “Peg” Tribble (Robert “Mal”) of Jacksonville, FL and Chris Welsh (Curtis Conlin) of New York, NY; grandchildren, Clay Tribble and Todd, Caden, Kate and Ben Welsh; and three great-grandchildren.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to Dr. Martin Brown and Johanna Harris, RN, at University Neurologists, as well as the fine people at Helping Hands and Hosparus, for all of their support and gentle guidance.

Funeral service will be held at noon Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012, at Pearson’s, 149 Breckenridge Lane, St. Matthews, with burial in Resthaven Memorial Park. Visitation will be noon-2 p.m. and 4-8 p.m. Wednesday at Pearson’s.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Kentucky Chapter of the ALS Association, Hope Happens at hopehappens.org, or to the Woman’s Club of Louisville.