William Duncan Welder, Jr.

William Duncan Welder, Jr., 82, of Dayton, died Friday, April 19, 2013, at his residence. Duncan was born October 19, 1930 in Houston to parents William Duncan Sr., and Rosella Sarah Wilcox Welder. A native of La Porte, he graduated from La Porte High School in 1948 and attended Texas A&M University. He enlisted in the US Air Force in 1951, served proudly in Korea, and retired from active duty with the rank of Captain in 1956. After the war, Duncan settled in Dayton, where he lived for the past 57 years with his wife Rickie. Together they raised six children. Duncan was an avid cattle rancher and member of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and Beefmaster Breeders United. He also worked at Rohm and Haas for 20 years. After retirement, he and his wife shared their enthusiasm for wartime aviation as active volunteers in the Confederate Air Force. Duncan had an unusually rich set of interests, and especially enjoyed sailing, fishing, wood working, and gardening. Mr. Welder was preceded in death by his father William Duncan Welder, Sr., mother Rosella Sarah Wilcox Welder, sister Rosella Ann Welder Jolly, son William Duncan Welder, III, nephew John Urban, and niece Ann Germaine Urban Sproat. He is survived by his wife of 60 years Rickie Simmons Welder of Dayton, daughters Mary Welder Collins and husband Tom of Huffman, Sarah Welder Adams and husband Peter of Richmond, Illinois, and Suzanne Welder Shea and husband Bill of Stavanger, Norway, sons James Patrick Welder and wife Ann of Boerne and John Amos Welder and wife Trudy of Dayton, sister Mary Margaret Welder Urban of Dayton. “Papa Welder” leaves behind a closely-knit extended family, including 13 grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, April 23, 2013, at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, with burial following at the Liberty Catholic Cemetery. His lifelong friend Dr. George O. Foster will deliver the eulogy. Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., with rosary services at 7 p.m., Monday, at the Pace-Stancil Funeral Home in Dayton.