Gene Welch

Gene H. Welch was born on May 20, 1933 in Atoka Oklahoma to Frank Edwin Welch and Letha Vera Bench Welch. He passed from this life on Tuesday, February 19, 2013 in Pawnee, Oklahoma having reached the age of 79 years, 8 months, and 29 days. He married Marcelee Ann Perez on October 21, 1960 in the First United Methodist Church in Newkirk, Oklahoma. He was drafted into the United States Army in 1953 during the Korean conflict, and was stationed at Camp Roberts in California. In the early days he worked for RL Fraley Construction traveling in West Texas in the oilfield. He then worked as the head bookkeeper for Evans & Troop Construction in Ponca City, Oklahoma, and also worked as Petroleum Manager of the Red Rock COOP until going into farming and ranching full time with his dad. He worked on the assembly line at Ditch Witch from 1976 until 1978 when he went to work at the Pawnee County Assessor’s office. Later, from 1979 until 1981 he worked for Dennis Equipment as the Parts Manager, until he went to work for Mary Malzahn as the Herd Manager in Perry and then went to work as a maintenance welder until his retirement. He loved farming and cattle, and loved telling stories and teasing his friends and loved ones. He enjoyed laughing and telling jokes, and especially spending time with his grandkids. Gene is survived by: Wife:Marcelee Welch, Pawnee, Oklahoma Son:Mark Welch & his wife, Cindy, Cashion, Oklahoma Daughter:Michelle Glover, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Grandchildren:Bailey Welch, Cashion, Oklahoma Lane Welch, Cashion, Oklahoma Carson Batterton, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Kaylan Glover, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Plus a number of other relatives, and many friends. Gene was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Letha Welch; two sisters, Arvella “Babe” Luter and Wanda “Snookie” Hetherington; and brother-in-law, Donald “Pete” Dunn. Services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, February 22, 2013 at First Christian Church, Pawnee, Oklahoma with Rev. Tom Scott officiating. Interment will be at Highland Cemetery, Pawnee, Oklahoma, under the direction of Poteet Funeral Home, Pawnee, Oklahoma.