Welp, Leon H. 1926-2007

WELP, KOPEL, SCHNATHORST, NEUROTH, DANKBAR, HOGGARD, HECKART

Posted By: Volunteer (email)
Date: 7/27/2007 at 17:20:18

Leon H. Welp, 80, of Newton, died Friday, June 15, 2007, at the USA Healthcare of Newton.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m., Wednesday at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Newton. A public Prayer Service will be held Tuesday evening at Sacred Heart Catholic Church at 7 p.m. with visitation with the family following in McCann Center in Newton. Memorials to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Willowbrook Adult Day Care Center or Iowa Hospice may be left at the Pence-Reese Funeral Home in Newton.

The son of Edward O. Welp and Teresa P. Kopel, he was born Sept. 7, 1926, in Haverhill. He attended St. Joseph Grade School in Haverhill and graduated from VanCleve High School in VanCleve in 1944.

On Dec. 8, 1944, he entered into the US Army military service at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He served his country during World War II until Aug. 31, 1946. He entered the family business with his father operating Welp Lumber in Haverhill.

On April 12, 1958, he was united in marriage to Gloria H. Schnathorst at All Saints Catholic Church in Des Moines. He became the owner of Welp Lumber in 1957 and retired in 1987 after working with the company 47 years.

He was a family man and an avid Cubs Fan. He enjoyed Iowa State Men’s Basketball, model trains, traveling and carpentry. He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, a 50 year member of the Knights of Columbus 4th Degree Marshall Council, Catholic Order of Foresters and the American Legion in Marshalltown.

Those left to honor his memory include his wife Gloria Welp of Newton; one son, Randall (Sang Sun) Welp of Springfield, Va.; one daughter, Jolene Welp of Ames; four grandchildren, Annalyn Welp, Kathryn Welp, Claire Welp and Jordan Brown Welp; one brother, Cyril (Aloah) Welp of Marshalltown; two sisters, Doris (Cletus) Neuroth of Marshalltown and Audry (Roman) Dankbar of Ames; his mother-in-law, Mary Schnathorst of Des Moines; two sisters-in-law, Julie (J.O.) Hoggard of Rogers, Ark. and Janet Heckart of Des Moines; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a stillborn daughter, Cheryl Lynn Welp; a brother. Virgil Welp; and a sister-in-law, Lorraine Welp.

The Newton (IA) Daily News, Monday, June 18, 2007