Thomas J. "Bud" Welck, age 82 of Grey Eagle, died Tuesday, January 8, 2008 at the St. Cloud Hospital in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, January 12 at Saint Joseph's Catholic Church in Grey Eagle with Rev. Mark Willenbring officiating. Inurnment will held privately in the parish cemetery at a later date.

Friends may call from 12 to 1 p.m. Saturday at Saint Joseph's Catholic Church in Grey Eagle.

Thomas J. "Bud" Welck was born January 16, 1925 in Minneapolis to Arthur and Ann (Eggler) Welck. On December 27, 1948 he married Mary Bernadette "Bernie" Peschel at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Grey Eagle. Bud and Bernie have resided in Grey Eagle Township since their marriage in 1948. He has spent his entire life farming and doing carpentry work. Bud loved to hunt and fish, especially deer hunting up north. He also liked wood working, gambling, and watching amateur baseball on Sundays. Bud was a life time member of Schanhaar-Otte VFW Post 7050 in Melrose and a long time member of the Grey Eagle Volunteer Fire Department, serving as chief for a number of years.

Survivors include his wife, Bernie; children, Thomas "Tom" Jr. (Sharon) Welck of Grey Eagle, Cindy (Scott) Mathre of Cold Spring, and Jan (Fritz) Steile of Maple Grove; grandchildren, Jessi, Annie, Shannon, Leah, Ryan, Drew and Erin; and sister, Arloine Zutter of St. Cloud.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and his granddaughter, Katelyn in 1985.

Serving as cross bearer will be Ryan Mathre and scripture bearer will be Fritz Steile.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.

 
[courtesy of Steven M. Wielenberg]

Grave markers for Thomas J.  Welck in  Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Grey Eagle (Todd county), Minnesota.

Thomas registered for the draft ca. 1943 and enlisted in the Army at Fort Snelling, MN on 15 July 1944.

The date of Pfc Welck's arrival in the 508th PIR is unknown but he appeared on the Morning Reports of October 1945.