George Edward Welch, 90, Sturgis, died Saturday, March 10, 2012, at Rapid City Regional Hospital.

Visitation will be Monday from 8:00 a.m. until service time at Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis.

Funeral services will be held Monday, March 19, 2012, at 2:00 p.m. at Kinkade Funeral Chapel with Pastor Herbert Cleveland officiating. Burial with military honors provided by the Sturgis Veteran's Honor Guard will follow at Black Hills National Cemetery.

George was born August 17, 1921, at Poughkeepsie, NY, to Eugene and Mary (Dunce) Welch. He helped his parents with their dairy farm. George graduated from Arlington High School. He then attended 2 years of college in upstate New York.

George enlisted in the US Army in 1942 and served with the Airborne in France. Following his honorable discharge in 1945, he moved to the Black Hills. George worked in Lead and Deadwood before he began his employment at Fort Meade VA Medical Center in 1949. He worked in the sports special services where he helped the veterans exercise and play basketball and softball. He then transferred to the canteen where he worked until his retirement in 1978.

George loved to write poems. He also enjoyed playing sports, especially fast pitch softball.

He is survived by one son, James (Dona) Davies, Sun City, AZ; one daughter, Lorraine Friskey, Parkston, SD; one brother, Frank (Emily) Welch, Kingston, NY; seven grandchildren, Linda, James, Victor, Robert, Clifford, Jackie, and Joey; and several great and great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife; two brothers; one daughter and son-in-law, Arlene and James Fuhrmann; and one granddaughter, Patricia.

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