Dr. Donald E. Welsh: 1929-2010
Dr. Donald E. Welsh, 81, a prominent Churubusco veterinarian and community leader, passed away on December27, 2010 at his residence with his family by his side. He had been diagnosed with cancer on September 2, 2010.
Dr. Welsh was born in Zanesville, Ohio on August 7, 1929, a son of Stanley and Doris (Vandenbark) Welsh, and graduated from high school there. He had earned an associates degree from Michigan State University, and was engaged in farming until the age of 29 when he entered Ohio State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and a doctorate in veterinary medicine.
Upon completing his education he worked for one year in Lynn, Indiana before moving to Churubusco and taking over the practice of former Churubusco veterinarian Dr. Bradley in 1963. His career as a veterinarian spanned a period of over 43 years, and he was the owner and operator of Churubusco Veterinary Hospital for 42 years, retiring in 2005. Following his retirement, he continued to work part time at the clinic now operated by his former associate, Dr. Neil Hanni.
In addition to his veterinary practice, his life was marked by memberships and activities in a variety of civic and fraternal organizations. He was a member of Churubusco United Methodist Church, where he had served in a variety of administrative capacities. He was also past master of Churubusco Masonic Lodge # 515 F&AM, and was a member of Churubusco Order of the Eastern Star # 136, Mizpah Shrine in Fort Wayne, Whitley County Shrine Club, and Scottish Rite, Valley of Fort Wayne. For several years he served on the executive board of the Humane Society of Whitley County and the Churubusco Chamber of Commerce, and was named Churubusco Chamber of Commerce “Citizen of the Year” in 1999. He was a member of the Churubusco Rotary. He enjoyed playing golf, and riding his bike. He rode several years in the Hilly Hundred bicycle ride.
On March 14, 1992, he was married in Churubusco to Darlene (Polick). She survives. Since 1997 the couple have owned an Airstream trailer, and they have been very active in the Wally Byam Caravan Club International. They traveled to Vermont, Oregon, North Dakota to Florida, and many other states for international rallies and vacationed in the winter for a few months around the Gulf Shores, Al. area.
Other surviving relatives include two sons, Brian (Tracy) Welsh of Greenwood, and Ronald (Donna) Welsh of Mooresville, NC; three step children, Cynthia (Tom) Ritter of Oregon, Oh. Kenneth Polick of Riverview, Fl., and Roger (Wynelle) Ulrich of Vacaville, Ca. a sister, Marie (Russ) Bolin of Zanesville, Oh. his brother Robert Welsh of Mt. Pleasant, Mi; seven grandchildren; Audree (Chad) Ousley, Diana Welsh, Megan Welsh, Matt Welsh, Morgan Welsh, Delaney Welsh, and Greyson Welsh; eight step-grandchildren; Christie Slaman, Brian Slaman, Elysia Ulrich, Zachary Ulrich, Allison Ulrich, Andrea Polick, Becca Polick, and Ben Polick. Also nieces Trudy Matz, Pam Derry, Deborah Welsh, and Kellie Froelicher.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a son George on June 26, 2009.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday December 31, 2010 in the Churubusco United Methodist Church, 750 N. Main Street with Pastor Corinne K. Boruff officiating. The family will receive friends at the church from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Thursday at the Churubusco United Methodist Church. Interment will be in the Riverview Cemetery, South of Churubusco. For those who wish, memorials may be directed to the Churubusco United Methodist Church, or the Whitley County Humane Society,
The Sheets and Childs Funeral Home of Churubusco are entrusted with the services.
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You are invited to leave a condolence for the family and may do so by clicking on “Condolen
December 28th, 2010 at 8:50 pm
We are so sorry we cannot be there to see you during this time but want you to know that you are all in our hearts and minds during this difficult time. We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers.
December 29th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
We are so sorry for your loss during this difficult time. We will keep the entire family in our thoughts and prayers.
December 29th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
We are so sorry for your loss. We always enjoyed visiting with the airstreamers and looked forward to seeing you and Don. Our prayers are with you.
December 29th, 2010 at 3:09 pm
We will sincerely miss Don and offer our condolence to everyone that knew him, since they will all grieve the lost of his cheerful presence.
December 29th, 2010 at 4:31 pm
May God bless your family and friends during these difficult days…He will get you through. It was a pleasure knowing Doc as our pets vet and appreciate what he has done for our community.
December 29th, 2010 at 6:00 pm
On behalf of the Speedway Metropolitan Police Department, we wish to extend our condolences to Officer Brian Welsh and the members of the Welsh family. Our thoughts and prayers are with you in this difficult time. May your warm memories of Dr. Welsh comfort you.
December 29th, 2010 at 7:52 pm
Our sincere sympathy to Darlene and family. You remain in our prayers for God’s enduring love and healing as you go on. Don will live on in our memory for his compassion and care for the people and animals he came in contact with.
December 29th, 2010 at 8:09 pm
Darlene, I am so sorry to hear that Don has passed away. You and your family are in our prayers.
Love, Gerry & LuAnn
December 29th, 2010 at 10:42 pm
Darlene, I have so many memories of Doc when I was a young man when he came out to the farm to help my dad Jesse with a tough on as he called them. He will long be remembered by the farmers of this area.
Les Roberson
December 30th, 2010 at 8:56 pm
We offer our sympathies to the entire Welsh family.
Doc was a good friend and one of the best vets we have ever had the pleasure of working with. The time and patience he would take to explain and demonstrate veterinary procedures were extraordinary beyond any measure. He was sorely missed when he retired and now a bigger void exists with his passing. May God bless and comfort you in this time of sorrow.
December 31st, 2010 at 2:45 pm
To the family of Doc Welsh we offer our deepest sympathy for your loss. He was a super guy.
December 31st, 2010 at 4:41 pm
I was so sorry to hear of Don’s passing. He was such a remakable man. I had the pleasure of serving with Don in the Busco Chamber as well as the Rotary club. He would do anything asked of him for his community. He saved our our family pet from a deadly virus when he was a puppy. That dog is still alive and will celebrate his 17th birthday thanks to Doc. We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers.
January 1st, 2011 at 10:26 am
I am so sorry I was not able get to the services.What a gentle, well loved person he was. I and sure Don and Raymond are together.
January 1st, 2011 at 6:59 pm
So sorry to read of Dr. WHelch’s passing. A wonderful Veterinarian will be greatly missed I’m sure. Sincerely, Matt Zimmer
January 5th, 2011 at 1:31 pm
I am so sorry we could not make the viewing or service but we do want to express our deep sympathy to all of Doc’s family. We go way back and I have the utmost respect for Doc Welsh. He was a great humanitarian and is a great loss of our community. Please accept our sincere sympathy.
January 19th, 2011 at 1:01 am
I am sorry this is late in sending. I was shocked to see the obituary and unfortunately read it too late to attend the viewing. I was unaware of the Doc’s illness-he had just seen our puppy months before. I remember always feeling my animals were in the best of care with Dr. Welsh. He was one of those rare vets who made you feel confident that he would give the best of care at a fair and affordable price. I find this to be rare in today’s practices. I’m so saddened that I won’t even get see him during those rare fill-in times at the office-it was always such a pleasent surprise. Our deepest sympathies to the family. He was such a good and honorable man and set a high standard for those following in his footsteps.
April 21st, 2011 at 10:07 am
Darlene,
Thank you for your letter and the obituary and picture of Don. I was so pleased to hear from you. He did suffer with the terrible disease that cancer is.
I pray that the memories you have with him and with God’s help you will be comforted.
Sincerely,
Dr. Neil Perrel