Sep. 23, 1927 - Apr. 28, 2022
Date of Service: May 6, 2022
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Desmond H. Welch (age 94) has honorably completed his sojourn here on earth, and returned to his heavenly home after succumbing to pancreatic cancer on Thursday, April 28, 2022.
Des was born on September 23, 1927, in Bancroft, Idaho, to Heber Lorenzo Welch, and Sarah Welch (no relation), the youngest of three children.
The family lived in the Lund, and Bancroft area during his formative years, close to his mother’s Welch side of the family, where he enjoyed the closeness of aunts, uncles and cousins. The family later moved to Fort Hall, Idaho, where his father tried to maintain a dry farm. Conditions proved to be unsustainable and the family moved to Salmon Idaho, where they stayed for the rest of his grade-school years.
His family later moved to Ketchum, Idaho, where his father worked for the Sun Valley Company. Des always said it was an ideal place for a young boy to grow up. He, with his cousin, walked to beaver dams to fish, climbed mountains in summers, and skied and ice skated in the winter. As a teenager he regularly caddied at the Sun Valley Golf Course to earn spending money .
As a sophomore in high school, during the height of WWII, the family moved to Ogden, Utah, where his father took a job working for a business that supported the war effort. He attended Ogden High School until his senior year, when he decided to return to Ketchum to live with an aunt, uncle and cousins. He graduated from Hailey High School in 1945.
Right after high school, Des and his best friend Scott, enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He was only 17 years old so he had to fib about his age. He was schooled and served as an ‘Electrician’s Mate 3rd Class’, aboard the USS Uvalde, an attack vessel and cargo carrier. He totally loved his service in the Navy, and saw many of the Pacific islands, as well as China and much of the Orient. He was honorably discharged after serving three years.
After the Navy, Des attended college at Idaho State University, and majored in music. As a student he was asked to organize and serve as the director and C.O. of the 45th Army Band in Pocatello. To do so he became a member of the U.S. Army Reserve.
While attending school he (again with his best friend Scott), boarded in a private home in Pocatello. The owner of the home had a beautiful daughter, Verla Gene Smith, with whom Des became acquainted. He very soon was smitten with her, they fell in love, and were married on February 2, 1950, in Blackfoot, Idaho. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Idaho Falls Temple.
After graduation, Des and Verla, with their little family (Randy and Pamela Gene) ended up in Heyburn, Idaho, where he was hired to teach band, and some classes of government, math and science. They ended up loving the town, and the people so much, that they made it their permanent home for the next 58 years. During those years they added two more children to their family; two sons, Cary Brian, and Korvan Blake.
As well as teaching school, Des enjoyed playing trumpet in dance bands. He played for many years in a small group known as ‘The Dancemen’. Finding it a challenge to raise his family solely on a teacher’s salary, he decided to venture into the business world. In 1972, along with a partner, he purchased two small fast food drive-in restaurants in Burley. They were a means to an end, when in 1976 he was able to open a small music store called Welch Music. As time went on, two of his sons Randy and Cary, joined in the business. They now operate stores located in Burley, Twin Falls, and Boise. Des spent many hours repairing broken and damaged band instruments. He continued repairing hundreds and hundreds of instruments for schools and students into his 90s.
His beloved Verla died in December of 2002, and eight years later, he decided to sell his home in Heyburn and move to Twin Falls. Doing so saved his daily drive to work in the repair shop located in the Twin Falls music store.
After being alone for eight years, and moving to live in Twin Falls, a bright light entered his life, named Bonnie Lewis Christensen. Both, having lost their spouse, decided life was better when they were together. They married in 2011, and have lived eleven very happy years together. Both families have been so delighted they found one another.
The abiding force in his life was his profound love and devotion to God and His Son, Jesus Christ. An active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he served in many callings over the years. Some of which included; being a Gospel Doctrine teacher, Young Men’s President, High Councilor, and serving twice as Bishop in two Heyburn Wards. He was true to the principles of his belief, and was an example of moral uprightness, faith, kindness, service and caring for his family, friends, students and community.
He is survived by his loving wife Bonnie; children, Randy (Jackie Briscoe) Welch, Cary (Lynette Walker) Welch, and Pamela Gene Spaulding; 13 grandchildren, and 36 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Bobbie; a sister, Elzada; wife, Verla; a son, Korvan; and a granddaughter, Jamie Spaulding.
Both Des and his family are deeply grateful for the loving and tender care he received from his St. Luke’s Hospice team. Each one brought expert care, comfort and a cheerful spirit into his home and made the navigation of his final journey much easier.
The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, May 6, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Twin Falls 7th Ward, located at 847 Eastland Drive North in Twin Falls, with Bishop Cornell officiating. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery in Heyburn, Idaho.
Family and friends will be received at the church from 5 until 7 p.m. Thursday, May 5, and from 10 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. Friday, prior to the funeral service.
A live webcast of the Funeral Service will be available and maintained at the following link: https://youtu.be/A2PIAPdzRfw.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home of Burley.
