HR0449 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0449 LRB096 13041 KXB 27279 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Louis Frederick Welch of Urbana, who passed away on March 13, 2009; and

WHEREAS, He was born at Linden, Tennessee, on March 29, 1931, to Louis and Hilda Houston Welch; and

WHEREAS, He graduated from the University of Tennessee, Auburn University, and Iowa State University; he was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, Gamma Sigma Delta, Alpha Zeta, Phi Kappa Phi, and Sigma Xi; and

WHEREAS, He was elected a fellow in the Soil Science Society of America and in the American Society of Agronomy; he worked at the Georgia Experiment Station, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the agronomy department at the University of Illinois; his research dealt with soil fertility and fertilizers; he retired from the U of I in 1990; since retirement, Marilyn and Fred have enjoyed travel, collecting seashells, and fossilized shark teeth; and

WHEREAS, Fred Welch truly "had never met a stranger" and "never had a bad day"; and

WHEREAS, After getting involved in politics by volunteering to put up yard signs, he became a tireless advocate for the Republican party establishing the Champaign County Active Senior Republicans, an organization which served as a model for the State Republican party as well; and

WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his parents; and his sister, Patsy Peach; and

WHEREAS, He is survived by his beloved wife, Marilyn, whom he married in 1956 at Cherokee, Alabama; his three sons, Charles Welch, Tom Welch, and Steven Welch; his five granddaughters and three grandsons; his sister, Mae Phy; and his brother, Ted; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Louis Frederick Welch; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Louis Frederick Welch as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.