Paul Kelch 1917 - 2003

KELCH, WILSON, SCHMITT

Posted By: Marguerite (email)
Date: 4/1/2003 at 13:55:30

Paul Kelch, 85, of Iowa City, Iowa, died after a brief illness with family surrounding him on Sunday afternoon, March 30,2003.

Memorial Services will be held on Saturday, April 5, 2003, at 2PM at the First United Methodist Church in Saline, Michigan. A reception at the church will follow. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made in his memory to the Kelch/Parker Scholarship Fund for medical students at the University of Iowa Foundation, Levitt Center for University Advancement, Iowa City, Iowa 52242. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.lensingfuneral.com by clicking guestbook/condolences.

Paul Kelch was born in Detroit, Michigan on December 3, 1917, the first-born son of Earl and Anna (Wilson) Kelch. He married Iona Schmitt on December 7, 1940, in Detroit, Michigan.

Paul and Iona settled in Warren, Michigan. Paul served in World War II as a sergeant in the Army on the Pacific front from 1942 to 1944. Upon Paul’s return, he worked at the Chrysler Corporation in Detroit, while Iona was a homemaker and raised their four children. In 1977 they retired to Vero Beach, Florida, where they stayed until July of 2001 when they relocated to Iowa City to be close to family and their oldest son.

Paul very much enjoyed the company and comfort of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He is survived by three sons; Robert Paul Kelch, M.D., and his wife Jeri of Iowa City; Ronald Joseph Kelch and his wife, Urszula of Oakland, California; Raymond Earl Kelch and his wife, Sue Ann of Saline, Michigan; his daughter, Susan Louise Ehred and her husband of Allen Park, Michigan; six grandchildren: Randall Paul Kelch and his wife, Kelley of Saline, Michigan, Julie Marie Balis and her husband, David of Frankfort, Illinois, Michael, Garret, Courtney and Nathan Ehred of Allen Park, Michigan and four great-grandchildren; Erin and Rhys Kelch and Sophia and Grant Balis; two sisters, Dorothy Dziedzic and Lillian Weston, both of Warren, Michigan; also surviving are many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Iona, his parents, a sister, Leona,and brothers, Joseph and Albert.