Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Charles Burton Welch

Charles Burton Welch, 83, of Arkadelphia died Thursday, December 5, 1996, at Baptist Medical Center. He was born July 15, 1913, in Arkadelphia, the son of the late Burton Samuel and Beulah Robinson Welch. He owned and operated Welch's Grocery Store from 1935 to 1963; Clark County Credit Bureau from 1963 until his retirement in 1974; and he was a cattlemen for 40 years. Mr. Welch graduated from Ouachita Baptist College in 1935 with a degree in business administration. A veteran of WWII, He was a Captain in the U.S. Army from January 3, 1942, to October 11, 1945, with headquarters 12th army group. He was an Air Operations Staff Officer and when called to active duty was placed in command of a field artillery unit responsible for all training and battery administrations. He attended General Liaison School and was made Liaison Officer with the Air Corps. He was on duty with the 9th Bomber Command in the European Theater of Operations. Mr. Welch served in England, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. His happiest memory of those days was the privilege of being the one to tell the General not to send his airplanes up again because the war was over. He was awarded the E.A.M.E. Theater Medal with five bronze stars. Mr. Welch was a member of First Baptist Church in Arkadelphia, a member of the Seymour Men's Bible Class and a choir member. He was a member and past president of the Arkadelphia Rotary Club and was honored as Rotarian of the year in 1987. In 1966 as a bass singer in a Barber-Shop Quartet, Mr. Welch, along with Eugene Kuyper, Joe Smith and Paul Root, cut an album of eleven songs entitled "The School Board Quartet". He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Noble Welch; a sister, Marie Neel; and one great granddaughter, Amy Wyatt. Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Josephine Cannon Welch; one daughter and son-in-law, Jodie and Dennis Wyatt of Arkadelphia; two sons and daughters-in-law, Charles B. Jr. `Bud' and Carolyn Welch of Arkadelphia and George Samuel and Wilma Welch of Moab, Utah; five grandchildren, Dennis F. Wyatt Jr. of Bakersfield, Calif., Scott Wyatt, Kenda Welch and Lyle Welch, all of Arkadelphia and Kent Welch of Conway; and six great grandchildren. Graveside Services were Saturday, December 7, at Rose Hill Cemetery with Dr. Kevin Lee and Rev. James Calhoun officiating. Interment was under the direction of Murry-Ruggle Funeral Home. Honorary pallbearers were Arkadelphia Rotary Club members. Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Arkadelphia.