The Honorable James "Jim" G. Welsh

James “Jim” Greer Welsh, 86, passed away peacefully at Salemtowne in Winston Salem, North Carolina on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.

He was born on April 4, 1939, and was one of three sons to the late Donald Greer and Helen Kendall Welsh.

He spent his youth in Washington, DC and attended Calvin Cooledge High School. After high school, he attended the University of Maryland. During college, he made a personal decision and voluntarily joined the United States Army. He rose to the rank of Sergeant and proudly served three years of active duty, including a tour in Korea and an assignment to the National Security Agency, and three years in the Army Reserve and Maryland National Guard. Over his lifetime, he displayed great admiration for those who served in any military branch and always impressed upon his family and friends the importance of our military and those who served.

Following his active-duty service, he returned to the University of Maryland and graduated with degrees in Economics and Political Science. He loved the Maryland Terrapins. He met his late wife, Olivia “Libby” Armentrout Welsh, while working at the NSA and they were married for fifty-five years. He was fiercely proud of Libby and her many accomplishments and business acumen over their life together.

After working as an economist for the Federal Government, Jim attended the University of Virginia School of Law and graduated in 1969. Thereafter, he embarked on a long and respected legal career. He worked as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Virginia. He served as President of the Virginia Trial Lawyers. He spent most of his legal career as a partner at Timberlake, Smith, Thomas, and Moses, P.C. in Staunton, Virginia and, as he always shared, worked there with some of the brightest and finest lawyers he ever encountered. Shortly after his retirement as a lawyer, he was appointed as a United States Magistrate Judge and served in this role for thirteen years.

He leaves behind his son, James Greer Welsh, Jr., daughter-in-law Elizabeth McConnell Welsh (Winston Salem, NC); his grandson James Greer Welsh III (Charlotte, NC); his granddaughters, Margaret Welsh Hulbert (and First Lieutenant John William Hulbert) (Southern Pines, NC), Kathryn Chandler Welsh (N.C. State University) and Sarah Walker Welsh (University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill). "PopPop" loved to say that being a grandfather to his grandchildren was the best job he ever had. He is also survived by one of his brothers, David Malcolm Welsh (Louisville, KY).

There will be a celebration of Jim’s life on Sunday, September 14, 2025, at 3:00 PM in Winston Salem, North Carolina at Salemtowne in the Amos Room located in the Babcock Healthcare Center. There will also be a memorial service at Augusta Stone Presbyterian Church in Fort Defiance, Virginia on a yet to be determined date in September. Information about the memorial service will be available shortly through Henry Funeral Home and Salem Funeral and Cremation Service. Jim will be buried next to Libby at the cemetery located at Augusta Stone.

In lieu of flowers, Judge Welsh’s family would encourage those desiring to make contributions in his memory to Augusta Stone Presbyterian Church (28 Old Stone Church Lane, Fort Defiance, VA 24437) or Salemtowne (290 Moravian Way Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27106).

Henry Funeral Home is handling the arrangements and condolences may be sent to the family at www.henryfuneralhome.net.