Margaret Ann Welton was born to Bill and Marcena Welton on September 12, 1945, in Salina, Kansas. The youngest of three siblings, Margaret developed a keen sensitivity to the suffering of others early in her life, along with a strong desire to contribute to the compassion and justice found in the world.

As a teenager, she believed her interests would take her into a medical career as a nurse, physical therapist, or occupational therapist, but her deep connection to her faith and to church life, a connection anchored by lifelong family involvement in their local Presbyterian church, suggested another career option for her- a life spent in ministry.

Margaret graduated from Arkansas City High School in Arkansas City, Kansas, in 1963 and attended Tulsa University in Oklahoma, from where she completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Christian Education in 1968.

Serving on the Council on Religious Life at Tulsa University, 1966.

Her spiritual interests matured into a calling, and she continued her education by pursuing a Master of Divinity degree in Pastoral Theology at Colgate Rochester Divinity School in Rochester, NY.

Margaret was a child of her age, and having witnessed the burgeoning of the civil rights movement and the emergence of the feminist movement in the U.S., she gave some of her time and her voice to a justice movement of interest to her: the care and treatment of women in prison. In 1973, Margaret helped begin the Women’s Jail Project in Rochester, New York, and served as its co-director until 1976.

Ordination newspaper photo, 1974.

In 1973, Margaret also completed her Masters degree, and in 1974, she was ordained as a minister in the United Presbyterian Church (in time, becoming the Presbyterian Church, USA).

In 1976, Margaret began a short stint serving in pastoral roles- first, for a year at First United Presbyterian Church in Caledonia, New York, and then, from 1977 to 1980, at Highland Presbyterian Church in Zanesville, Ohio.

Margaret’s true calling crystalized in 1980 when she served as a chaplain intern at Cincinnati’s Bethesda Hospital. That internship led her to complete a year-long hospital chaplain residency at Indiana University Medical Center in 1981, following which she became an ACPE certified chaplain, a staff chaplain and in time, an ACPE Clinical Supervisor on staff at the Indianapolis hospital.

Margaret relished serving in crisis settings, helping patients and families facing uncertainties in a hospital environment. She realized that in the hospital she best used her gifts of being present and providing crisis ministry and counseling.

In 1985, Margaret accepted the position of Pastoral Care Director and ACPE Clinical Supervisor at Hadley Regional Medical Center in Hays, Kansas, and served this role in her home state for five years. In 1986, she added a Fellow Board Certification with the Professional Chaplains Association to her accomplishments.

Chaplain Welton, 1990.

In 1990, Hadley joined with another local hospital to become Hays Medical Center, and Margaret’s role shifted to the basic provision of chaplaincy and pastoral care within the hospital. She continued to seek crisis intervention training opportunities, and completed a Critical Incident Stress Management Certification in 1998.

With changes in hospital operations in Hays, Margaret decided in 2000 to move to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to take a job and to be nearer to her brother and his family. Margaret joined the Child Life team at the University of New Mexico Hospital as an Advocate, where she put her counseling, ministry and crisis intervention skills to work supporting children facing life-changing or life-threatening medical circumstances with their families.

After a decade at UNMH, Margaret retired in 2011, and spent her later years enjoying time at her home with Po and Tilly, her two cats, nurturing and manicuring her beautiful backyard garden each spring and summer.

Margaret passed away at her home in May, 2020.

Beyond her work accomplishments, Margaret found joy in clowning- a hobby she accidentally discovered while working with summer Bible schools in Ohio. In time, she developed the clown persona of Elly, the slightly bad angel clown that “appeared in a flowing white robe, angel wings, a frizzy wig, and red and white makeup.” One of her favorite life experiences was being invited to be Elly under the big top when the traveling Carson & Barnes Circus set up tents for a weekend of shows in Hays, Kansas. Being a clown in those circus shows was a dream come true for her.

Margaret’s lifelong interest in the circus led to her accruing a sizable collection of colorful circus announcement posters. Margaret was also a faithful Kansas City Chiefs and Chicago Cubs fan, and she extended her sports interests to New Mexico Lobo basketball and football once she arrived in Albuquerque.

Margaret was creative by nature, and that nature found expression in sewing, quilting, stained glass window making and woodworking at various points in her life.

Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, Marcena and Bill Welton, and by her brother Bill. She is survived by her brother Ted and his wife Brenda of Albuquerque, NM; by niece Kristi Welton-Kidder and her husband Frank Kidder and their sons, Brett and Grant, of Albuquerque; by nephew Bruce, also of Albuquerque; and by nephew T. Scott Welton and his wife Ronda, and their children, Faith, Emily, and Jaedon, of Lincoln, Nebraska.

Margaret and Ted Welton.