Telephone – A Requiem Funeral Mass for John William Welch, Lt. Colonel, USAF, retired, age 78 of Telephone will be held at 10:00 AM Thursday, January 29, 2009 at the St. Elizabeth Catholic Church.  Officiating will be Father Wilson Blas.  Interment will be in the DFW National Cemetery.

Mr. Welch passed away Sunday, January 25, 2009 in Wilson N. Jones Hospital in Sherman.  He was the son of the late William Brewster and Lila Rooks Mitchell Welch.  Mr. Welch was married to Regis Lenora Downey Welch on June 12, 1967 in Boling AFB Chapel. 

Mr. Welch was owner and operator of Welch Ranch, Telephone, Texas, and was one of the founding members of Bois d’ Arc Municipal Utilities District, where he served on the Board of Directors as Treasurer. He received his B.S. degrees from Texas A&M in Agricultural Engineering in 1950, Mathematics in 1958 and his M.S.  degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1959.

 

Mr. Welch’s career in the USAF included, Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Aeronautical Science at the USAF Academy in Colorado, instructor of Mathematics at the University of Maryland, European Division, Mathematician and Weapons System Analyist at the Pentagon in Va., and was the Commander of USAF Field Training, Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls, Tx..  Mr. Welch was a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam Wars. 

 

 

He was a member of St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church in Bonham and the Knights of Columbus.

 

He is survived by his wife – Regis Welch of the home.  Son – Matthew Welch of San Francisco, California. Brother – Charles Welch & wife of Huntsville, Alabama.  Several Nieces and Nephews and Cousins.

 

Pallbearers will be Bob Payne, Travis Payne, Max Hutchins, H.D. Witcher, Jr., Steve Capp and Steve Reed.

 

Honorary pallbearers will be Knights of Columbus.

 

A rosary will be held at 6:00pm Wednesday night at Cooper-Sorrells Funeral Home read by Deacon Bill Cullen with visitation to follow.

 

The family has requested in lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the St. Elizabeth Catholic Church Scholarship Fund in memory of John William Welch. 

 

To send an online condolence go to www.coopersorrells.com.