Gay Rosella (Marmon) Welch

Gay Rosella (Marmon) Welch passed through these earthly bonds into the arms of her Savior on January 13, 2023, surrounded by her children and partner. Gay was born to Thomas E. & Helen A. Marmon on August 4, 1939 in Boise, Idaho. Her sister Earlene (Durfee) Reynolds was born in 1932. Her brother LeRoy (Butch) Marmon was later born in 1945. Gay attended schools in Boise, graduating from Boise High School in 1957.

As a child Gay spent several years in Indian Valley with her beloved Aunt and Uncle, Stella and Ted Mortz. While there she developed a love and respect for horses and all animals. She later convinced her father to allow her to buy a horse. She saved her chore money and bought Blaze. Gay cared for her horse with her own earnings (as her father wouldn’t have had it any other way). Gay loved playing the violin and passed this love down to four of her grandchildren (so far). She played in the orchestra at Boise High.

Gay married Thomas W. Welch in 1957. They were blessed with five children: Denise Maxwell of Boise (Brent), Valmarie Price of South Carolina (David), Thomas Welch Jr. of Boise (Kathy), Clinton Welch of Boise (Pamela), and Orren E. Welch of Colorado (Brooke). During their marriage, Gay and the kids traveled with Tom in his Air Force career to Guam, Montana, California, Washington, Idaho, and Nebraska. They were later divorced.

Gay proudly worked for 18 years at Hewlett-Packard. She took an early retirement in 1995. Gay met her lifelong partner of 43 years, Ronald Foruria, in Boise and they have enjoyed traveling the globe and retirement, “snow birding” to Arizona to their winter home and back to Boise for the warm months. Through this partnership she gained two more children, Kim Foruria of Boise and Ronald Foruria Jr. of Boise.

Gay had a passion for ancestry and discovered many wonderful extended family members and cherished those relationships. She would love to tell us stories of growing up and the many family members that were dear to her. She was gifted at crocheting. Many afghans have been given as gifts all over this world! She used any leftover yarn to crochet lap afghans and donated to nursing homes and shelters.

Gay was always down to earth and non-assuming. She had a special way of making everyone feel included and had a good time.

Gay was preceded in death by her parents, her brother and sister, and her beloved great nephew Deke Marmon. She is survived by her partner, Ronald Foruria, five children, two step-children, twenty grandchildren, thirty-six great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life was held in Yuma, AZ on January 26, 2023 at Desert Grove Mobile Estates. A Memorial Service will be held May 30, 2023 at 11:00 AM at Cloverdale Funeral Home - Gibson Chapel located at 1200 N Cloverdale Rd. in Boise, Idaho with a Rosary staring at 10:30 AM.