Welch, Ralph Orin 1928-2007
PAPACEK, WELCH, MOOSE, STREITTMATTER, HERTRAMPF, KORESH, TURNER, MOSES, NUEHRING, HERTRAMPF, FUELLING, SAWVELL, DIRKSEN, ABEL, EWING, EGGEN
Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 10/16/2007 at 19:57:07
Ralph Orin Welch
January 15, 1928 - July 26, 2007
McGregor, IAVisitation: 2 - 6 PM July 29, 2007 at Leonard Funeral Home, Monona, IA,
Funeral Service: 10:30 a.m. July 30, 2007 at St. Mary's Catholic Church, McGregor, IA
Interment: July 30, 2007 at St. Wenceslaus Cemetery, rural McGregor, IARalph Orin Welch, 79, of McGregor died on Thursday, July 26, 2007, at his home following a lengthy illness.
Ralph Welch, son of Lloyd and Caroline (Papacek) Welch, was born on January 15, 1928, in McGregor. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Mary¹s Catholic Church in McGregor.
He attended country schools in the Giard Township and helped his father and grandfather on the family farm.
On February 11, 1946, he married Eloise Moose, and to this union seven children were born. Ralph (Popsi) and Eloise then farmed on the family farm until the late 1960’s; at that time their son and daughter-in-law Curt and Vicki Welch, purchased the farm. He then started Welch’s excavating and was later joined by his son Kevin in 1973. They continued this joint business until the mid 1980’s, at which time Ralph retired. He was proudly known to many as “One more bucket Ralphy”. Eloise became ill in the early 1980’s, and passed away on September 28. 1985.
He enjoyed retirement by spending time with his children and grandchildren and kept busy with various jobs and hobbies.
Ralph was united in marriage to Joan (Streittmatter) Hertrampf on May 30, 1986, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in McGregor. To this union, two families were united. They started their furniture restoration business, Welch’s Re Do It Shop, and then began spending winters in Yuma, Arizona and summers with their families in Iowa. For health reasons they later decided to make their permanent home back to Beulah, Iowa (Welch Village) in 2003, along with Ralph’s faithful companion, his dog Benji.
Ralph was an active member of St. Mary¹s Catholic Church in McGregor.
Survivors include his wife, Joan Welch of McGregor; children, Wayne and wife Jodi Welch, Curt and wife Vicki Welch, Mary and husband John Koresh, Celeste and husband Richard Turner, all of McGregor, Kevin Welch and friend Lori Trappe, Karen and husband Tom Moses, all of Monona; step-children, Christina and husband Kevin Nuehring of Farmersburg, Marlin Hertrampf of Postville, Julie and husband Jim Fuelling of Luana, Linda and husband Donald Sawvell, Joe and wife Shelley Hertrampf, Jerry Hertrampf, all of Monona and Laurie and husband Elwin Dirksen of Elgin; a sister, Marlene and husband Harry Abel of Marquette; 39 grandchildren; 45 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Eloise Welch; one son, Larry Welch; his parents; maternal and paternal grandparents; a brother, Claire Welch; a son-in-law, Rex Ewing and a niece, Mary Eggen.
Funeral home pamphlet
Clayton Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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