MARYLEE BURNETT WELCH
July 21, 1942 to September 2, 2023
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Marylee's Obituary

Welch, MaryLee Burnett (81) born July 21, 1942, passed from this life on September 2, 2023 in Edmond Oklahoma. MaryLee, wife of Robert (Bob) Gerald Welch, was the eldest daughter of Col. Darrell H. Burnett and Emma Jane (Peggy) Myers Burnett. Her early years were spent with her military family in and around the Washington D.C. area and around the world in Saltzburg, Austria and Bangkok, Thailand where she graduated from high school; it was a childhood filled with happy memories and experiences. 

After graduating from Indiana University with a bachelors of nursing degree, MaryLee served 4 years in the US Army and was deployed to Vietnam as a front-line nurse during the worst of the war; a time that left painful and difficult memories. She was honorably discharged with the rank of Captain.

Post military years were spent serving her Oklahoma communities in various medical related positions.

In adulthood, the 33 years of marriage to Bob were the happiest of her life. Their life was filled with their beloved cats and dogs and “mewsic”. She was an avid supporter of animal rescue and all her pets were adopted into her “forever home”. To her family and friends, she became the ultimate “Cat Lady”, decorating her home and herself in cat related motif.

Her love of Celtic music led MaryLee to learn to play the dulcimer and she traveled to dulcimer workshops around the country to continue learning. She shared her talent by playing at her sister’s wedding.

MaryLee also shared her husband’s interest in rocks and gems and enjoyed their many rock hunting expeditions and rock shows. Many of their finds were polished and made into jewelry for family and friends.

Traveling by car was MaryLee’s mode of transportation and she and Bob made many road trips to eastern Kentucky for holidays with family, stopping along the way in St. Louis and Lexington to visit her nieces’ families. Always prepared with everything she needed; her extended family affectionately learned how not to travel light.

MaryLee is survived, by husband Bob, their dog Bailee, the cat Millie, Bob’s children Brian (Agnes) Welch of Gainesville, VA, Elaine Welch of Edmond OK, Aaron Welch of Edmond, and by her two sisters; Jody Burnett (Rick) Howe of Doylestown, PA, Susie Burnett T. (Steve) Duncan of Grayson, KY; three nieces Hanna Howe Elliot of New Hope, PA, Betsy Ticknor (Frank) Caines of Ashland, KY, Katie Ticknor (Akil) Matcheswala of Lexington, KY and one nephew Michael (Bobbie) Ticknor of Valdosta, GA, five grand and two great-grand nieces and nephews. She is also survived by several cousins and loyal friends who live all across the United States. 

Assured that MaryLee is at peace and pain free, all who knew and loved her will miss her.

A memorial service is set for 2:00 pm Monday September 11, 2023 at Channing Unitarian Universalist Church, 2800 W 15^th St., Edmond OK 73013.  Friends are welcome to come share a time of remembering the life of MaryLee Welch or join in on the live feed streaming of the service. Link to live stream, https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84275928173?pwd=R1hteWpIdTdjaVd2L09rMFMxaWpPQT09