Jimmie Laverne Thomas was born to Jim and Lois Thomas on May 19, 1952, in Amarillo, Texas. The day her parents brought her home, she was welcomed with open arms by her sisters, Carolyn and Paula. She grew up in a loving home her entire life.

Jimmie attended church with her momma faithfully every Sunday. She started school when she was 5 or 6 years old at San Jacinto Elementary, then Sam Houston, and High School at Amarillo High. That is where she met the love of her life, Henry Warner Welch. They eventually started dating and dated until the day they were united in marriage on January 17, 1969.

She was a homemaker and was blessed with three children, Lisa Kay Welch, Daniel Lee Welch, and Matthew John Welch.
Jimmie went to work as a CNA at the Shattuck Nursing Home for a couple of years. Jimmie and Henry went to work at the Bull’s Eye Café in Gage, Oklahoma. She became a caregiver for an elderly couple for a few years. Jimmie made friends with a lot of ladies between Shattuck and Gage. She attended the First Baptist Church in Shattuck and then the Assembly of God Church.

She moved from Shattuck in 2006 to Amarillo, Texas to take care of her momma and daddy until they passed away. Her health began to decline so she moved in with her sister, Paula and her husband Johnny. Along with their son Cody, they cared for 18 years until her passing.

She never had a mean bone in her body and loved everyone and everyone loved her. Jimmie knew what TLC meant and showed everyone tender loving care.

Jimmie cried when Elvis Presley passed away. Before she passed away, she said that she was gonna see Elvis when she got to heaven. We believe that she is singing with him or watching him sing. Her favorite song was Love Me Tender.

Jimmie was a child of God with a heart of gold.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Jim and Lois Thomas; her husband Henry Welch a sister, Carolyn Jean Walker; a nephew, Kimmy (Tommy) Boyd, and a great-granddaughter, Charlotte Faye Bozarth.

She is survived by her sisters, Paula Sharp and husband Johnny, and Tammy Boyd; her children, Lisa Welch, Daniel Welch and Matthew Welch; a nephew Cody Peace; grandchildren RiKayla Freeman, Jeffrey Bozarth, Thomas Bozarth, Devon Welch and Sierra Welch, as well as many great-grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. this Thursday, October 3, 2024, at Lighthouse Funeral Home, 3707 Wolflin Ave., in Amarillo, Texas.
Interment will follow at Memory Gardens Cemetery, 14200 Texas Plains Trail, I-27, Amarillo, Texas 79119.