Junior Welch's Obituary
Nathan Junior Welch, “JR” 77 of Chanute passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his loving family on April 29, 2023. Jr was born August 14, 1945 in Chanute, Kansas, to Nathaniel Harrison and Lena Alta Williams Welch.
When Jr was 17 years old, he met the love of his life, a 14-year-old Janice Callarman. He told his brother “I’m going to marry that girl one day” and three years later, he did just that. They were married on November 20, 1965, a marriage that lasted 57 years.
Jr was a hard-working man. He got his start delivering papers, he then moved to working as a farm hand for Harold Whittaker. He worked a few other jobs such as Ash Grove, the wax plant, and the railroad; before finding his true passion as a welder at Chanute Manufacturing. Jr worked there for 32 years until his retirement; he moonlighted several years building trailers for Jerry Stirewalt.
Jr was an outdoorsman at heart. He loved camping, fishing, and hunting. His most favorite thing to do was to take his wife, kids, and grandkids fishing. He loved taking family vacations down to the Gulf of Mexico, especially Corpus Christi and Galveston, to fish and play on the beach.
Jr loved spending his time taking weekend road trips to eat at Golden Corral and visit flea markets. He also loved going to yard sales, auctions, and of course the casinos. His most favorite pastime was spending time with his family, whether it was on the pond dam, river bank, sporting events his grandkids played in, camping, or just cooking out at home with his family singing karaoke. He lived every minute of his life.
Jr was well-known for his welding hats his wife made for him. Whether bright colored patterns, just black, or with polka dots, he always got compliments.
Jr fostered many children over 43 years, who all looked up to him as not only father figure, but also as a grandfather.
Jr is survived by his wife Janice, of the home, daughters Gail (Neil) Haynes, Lisa Daniels of Chanute, Heidi (Jared) Ranz of Altoona, and Jennifer Gates of Wichita, his sons Clay (Lauren) Welch, Randy (Christy) Stout, of Chanute, and Bryon Russell (Audrey Smith) of Portland, Texas, sisters Joanna Welch, Patricia Glasgow, and Barbara Fulton all of Chanute, grandchildren Whitney, Zach, Ryan, Ashlynn, Lance, Maycie, Connor, Talan, Hudson, Calliope, Maralin, and Cecilia, and several great-grandchildren.
Jr was preceded in death by his parents Nathan and Lena Welch, siblings Rosemary Valliere, Richard Welch, Acey Welch, Lola Stoll, Kay Dennis, infant brother Stoney Welch, and infant sister Norma Jean.
Jr will be greatly missed by those who knew him, but his humor, kindness, and smile will live on in our hearts.
As Jr once said, “I’m a big deal.”
Visitation will be on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Countryside Funeral Home. Services will be held on Thursday, May 4, 2023 at the First Baptist Church-Good News Center in Chanute at 10:30 am with burial to immediately follow at Memorial Park Cemetery in Chanute. Memorials have been suggested to Harry Hynes Hospice and may be left with or mailed to the funeral home. Online condolences may be left at: www.countrysidefh.com. Services entrusted to Countryside Funeral Home 101 N. Highland, Chanute, Kansas, 66720.
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