William "Bill" L. Welch
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William "Bill" L. Welch, 97, of Watertown, passed away on Thursday, October 14, 2021 at The View Communities Assisted Living in Johnson Creek.
William Leo Welch was born on November 8, 1923 in Viroqua, Wisconsin, the son of Leo and Ida (nee Powell) Welch. On February 14, 1946, he was united in marriage to Maxine Mary Gray in Milwaukee. Maxine preceded him in death on July 20, 2012. He served in the United States 8th Air Force in England and 15th Air Force in Italy as a Flight Engineer during World War II. He had been employed at the Cook Company film processing lab in Milwaukee after his service in the war. He then moved to Watertown in 1946 after purchasing Co-Mo Photo which he owned and operated for 57 years until his retirement in 2003. Bill was a member of the VFW, American Legion, and Master Photo Dealers and Finishers Association. He was an avid runner and enjoyed competing in marathons. He began at the age of 39 and after 52 years of dedication, hung up his running shoes in 2014 at the age of 91. Bill was a devoted Green Bay Packer Fan and was a season ticket holder for many years. He also enjoyed rooting for the Milwaukee Braves and Milwaukee Brewers. He enjoyed traveling when he was younger, especially to Florida. He also was a history buff with a fascination for war history.
Bill is survived by his children, Kristine (John) Coughlin; grandchildren, Daniel (Kelli Rae) Coughlin, Ryan (Alex) Coughlin, William Welch, and Allison Welch; great-grandchildren, Freya Pedersen, Signe Pedersen, Leif Pedersen, Dylan Coughlin, Lucas Coughlin, and Kasey Coughlin; sister-in-law, Janet Welch; as well as nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Maxine; son and daughter-in-law, James William and Monika Marks Welch; granddaughter, Abigail Welch; grandson, Sean Coughlin; siblings, Berneta Davis, Norma Slough, Blaine Welch, and Lyle Welch.
A Memorial Service will be held on his 98th birthday, Monday, November 8, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at Christ United Methodist Church in Watertown with Rev. Dr. Young Tae Lee officiating. Family and friends may gather at the church from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service. Innichement will take place at Glenview Memorial Gardens in Ixonia. Memorials, if desired, would be appreciated to Unravel Pediatric Cancer, P.O. Box 2206, Gilroy, CA 95020 or the Watertown Humane Society. Hafemeister Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Watertown is serving the family. Online condolences may be made at www.hafemeisterfh.com.