Clarence H. Welch

Published 6:00 am Sunday, September 26, 2010

    Clarence Hoye Welch, 82, of Vestavia Hills, Ala., died Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2010, after a battle with cancer. He was a native of Meridian, a graduate of Meridian High School and attended Meridian Junior College. He was employed several years by Western Electric prior to his long career at Norfolk Southern Railroad. He worked in Meridian for 17 years and was transferred to Chattanooga, Tenn., in 1967. He then served the remainder of his career in Birmingham, from 1970 until 1987, and was the General Supervisor of Signals and Communications for Norfolk Southern in Birmingham at his retirement. During his career at the Railroad, he received numerous safety and service awards and citations.  After his retirement, he owned and operated Leeds Instrument Repair until 2009. 

    Mr. Welch was a long-term and devoted member of Calvary Baptist Church in Meridian, where he served as a deacon. He was a 50 year member and Past Master of Meridian Lodge #308, a 50-year member of Meridian York Rite Bodies and Hamasa Shriners. Since 1970, he has been a member of Roebuck Park Baptist Church, now North Park Baptist Church, in Trussville, Ala.

    Mr. Welch is survived by his loving family, including his wife of 60 years, Joan McCroskey Welch; his two daughters, Tealla Welch Stewart (husband, Tom) of Vestavia Hills, Ala., and Dr. Kathryn Welch Huddleston, of Jacksonville, Fla.; and, his four grandchildren: Clare Anne Stewart of Tuscaloosa, Ala., Elizabeth Welch Stewart of Vestavia Hills, Ala., MaryKathryn Huddleston Colburn (husband, Jeff) of Hoover, Ala., and Ryan McKisson Huddleston of Melrose, Fla.  He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Glo Boykin Welch; his niece, Betsy Welch Bailey; and, nephew, William Benjamin Welch Jr., all of Mobile, Ala.; and, his aunt, Mrs. Dorothy Johnson of Union,  and his cousin, Mary Sydney Johnson Green of Jackson.

    Mr. Hoye Welch was preceded in death by his father, Clarence Hoye Welch Sr., and his beloved mother, Leila Mae Johnson Welch, both of Meridian and Newton, and his only brother, William Benjamin Welch, a

well-known civic leader and businessman in Mobile, Ala.

    Memorial and burial arrangements are as follows: Visitation will be today, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Ridout’s-Brown Chapel – Roebuck, in Birmingham, with a memorial service to follow at 4 p.m., in the chapel.

Rev. Bill Wilks and Rev. Russ Goodwin of North Park Baptist Church are officiating. On Monday, the family will receive friends at Calvary Baptist Church in Meridian, from 12 noon to 2 p.m., with burial to follow in Newton, at the Poplar Springs Baptist Church Cemetery in the Johnson/Welch family burial plot. A Masonic Funeral at the graveside will be given.

    In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to North Park Baptist Church in Trussville, Ala., or to Calvary Baptist Church in Meridian.

    The family would like to extend special thanks to caregivers, Mr. Larry Gray of Hoover, Ala. and Mrs. Bertha Harris of Birmingham, Ala.