Sioux City - A cloudy, rainy Friday brought downpours of more than just precipitation in Norwood, Colo. on 22 May. Tears were streaming when we found we had lost another good friend & neighbor, Randy Michael Welch, also known as "Rotten Randy", "Ran Dell", or simply "Dad". Though he was far from anything close to rotten, somehow the name was coined. Perhaps it reflected an ironic opposite: a kind, funny man who was always laughing & being generous & kind to others.
Though it seemed Randy was Colorado bred and raised, he was actually born 13 April 1957, in Sioux City, Iowa to Evelyn (Bell) & William Alfred
Welch. Randy attended Riverside High School, where he first met his wife, Kerry Merrill. Though Kerry didn't take a shine to Randy at first
he rapidly grew on her, & they became partners when her first son, Shawn was one-and-a-half years old. They married 2 Nov. 1987, when their second son, Billy was 3 months old.
Randy was always an aid cycle fan, enjoying motorcycles & stock cars & spending time with his brothers, who raced.
Before moving west in search of a new career, Randy worked at the stockyards & the IBP meat-packing plant in Sioux City. Randy & Kerry left Iowa in 1981 & moved to Grand Junction, Colo., during the oil shell boom. He worked for a truss building company & shortly thereafter, the Welches
moved to Norwood, after Randy had secured a position with Telluride Gravel, where he worked with his brother-in-law Fred Smith. He then did seasonal work for the Town of Telluride until he was hired full time in 1989 as a heavy equipment operator. He liked his job & worked there until 2007, when his big heart gave him trouble, he became disabled & he couldn't work no longer.
Many people will remember Randy's beaming smile behind a full face of black beard as he drove the tractors & bulldozers; he was a standard on the streets on Telluride for many years.
Randy enjoyed fishing & hunting, he was an avid turkey hunter, & when he wasn't riding his motorcycle, most of the time he could not be found
because he was at one of his sacred "honey holes",
private campsites where he was very successful making a good catch. He hunted all year long, with friends & relatives. "He was with the boys,"
said Kerry.
Randy leaves behind many family members who cherished him greatly including his wife, Kerry; sons, Shawn & Billy; his mother, Evelyn Marsh of Sioux City; brothers, Bill Welch & wife Jody of Sioux City, Doug Welch & his wife, Patti of McCook Lake, SD., Terry Welch of Sioux City & Rod Welch of Jefferson, SD.; brother & sister-in-law, Fred & Kathy Smith of Norwood; parents-in-law, Delores & William Clark Merrill of Sioux City; siblings-in-law, Wayne & Rita Merrill Sioux City, Roger & Yvonne Merrill of South Dakota, & Dan & Lori Merrill of Salix, Iowa; close nephew, Nolan Merrill; & numerous other nieces & nephews.
Randy was preceded in death by his sister, Deanna;
and his father, William.
In addition to his relatives, his large adopted family - made up of is many close friends - will miss him greatly.
We will always remember Randy, smiling, laughing, conversing, telling jokes. He was ever the man in black who loved his family greatly, boasting of his wife "the Governor" & raving about his children for hours at a time.
The only unfortunate thing about Randy was his big heart which began to fail him, & by the time he went, what strength he had left in that heart just wasn't enough for him to continue his happy life, Randy made the choice to go & be remembered proudly the way he was, & that is how we honor him. Yes, the loud noises coming from the East End of Main Street will be missed, but we will cherish "Rotten" Randy Welch - not rotten at all - forever.
Randy's family would like to give special thanks to the ladies at Alpine Home Hospice. Also, an account has been set up in Randy's name at American National Bank in Telluride, in lieu of flowers. A funeral service will not be held, but instead, according to Randy's wishes, the family will host a celebration to take place in the upcoming weeks.
source: Sioux City Journal
Though it seemed Randy was Colorado bred and raised, he was actually born 13 April 1957, in Sioux City, Iowa to Evelyn (Bell) & William Alfred
Welch. Randy attended Riverside High School, where he first met his wife, Kerry Merrill. Though Kerry didn't take a shine to Randy at first
he rapidly grew on her, & they became partners when her first son, Shawn was one-and-a-half years old. They married 2 Nov. 1987, when their second son, Billy was 3 months old.
Randy was always an aid cycle fan, enjoying motorcycles & stock cars & spending time with his brothers, who raced.
Before moving west in search of a new career, Randy worked at the stockyards & the IBP meat-packing plant in Sioux City. Randy & Kerry left Iowa in 1981 & moved to Grand Junction, Colo., during the oil shell boom. He worked for a truss building company & shortly thereafter, the Welches
moved to Norwood, after Randy had secured a position with Telluride Gravel, where he worked with his brother-in-law Fred Smith. He then did seasonal work for the Town of Telluride until he was hired full time in 1989 as a heavy equipment operator. He liked his job & worked there until 2007, when his big heart gave him trouble, he became disabled & he couldn't work no longer.
Many people will remember Randy's beaming smile behind a full face of black beard as he drove the tractors & bulldozers; he was a standard on the streets on Telluride for many years.
Randy enjoyed fishing & hunting, he was an avid turkey hunter, & when he wasn't riding his motorcycle, most of the time he could not be found
because he was at one of his sacred "honey holes",
private campsites where he was very successful making a good catch. He hunted all year long, with friends & relatives. "He was with the boys,"
said Kerry.
Randy leaves behind many family members who cherished him greatly including his wife, Kerry; sons, Shawn & Billy; his mother, Evelyn Marsh of Sioux City; brothers, Bill Welch & wife Jody of Sioux City, Doug Welch & his wife, Patti of McCook Lake, SD., Terry Welch of Sioux City & Rod Welch of Jefferson, SD.; brother & sister-in-law, Fred & Kathy Smith of Norwood; parents-in-law, Delores & William Clark Merrill of Sioux City; siblings-in-law, Wayne & Rita Merrill Sioux City, Roger & Yvonne Merrill of South Dakota, & Dan & Lori Merrill of Salix, Iowa; close nephew, Nolan Merrill; & numerous other nieces & nephews.
Randy was preceded in death by his sister, Deanna;
and his father, William.
In addition to his relatives, his large adopted family - made up of is many close friends - will miss him greatly.
We will always remember Randy, smiling, laughing, conversing, telling jokes. He was ever the man in black who loved his family greatly, boasting of his wife "the Governor" & raving about his children for hours at a time.
The only unfortunate thing about Randy was his big heart which began to fail him, & by the time he went, what strength he had left in that heart just wasn't enough for him to continue his happy life, Randy made the choice to go & be remembered proudly the way he was, & that is how we honor him. Yes, the loud noises coming from the East End of Main Street will be missed, but we will cherish "Rotten" Randy Welch - not rotten at all - forever.
Randy's family would like to give special thanks to the ladies at Alpine Home Hospice. Also, an account has been set up in Randy's name at American National Bank in Telluride, in lieu of flowers. A funeral service will not be held, but instead, according to Randy's wishes, the family will host a celebration to take place in the upcoming weeks.
source: Sioux City Journal
Sioux City - A cloudy, rainy Friday brought downpours of more than just precipitation in Norwood, Colo. on 22 May. Tears were streaming when we found we had lost another good friend & neighbor, Randy Michael Welch, also known as "Rotten Randy", "Ran Dell", or simply "Dad". Though he was far from anything close to rotten, somehow the name was coined. Perhaps it reflected an ironic opposite: a kind, funny man who was always laughing & being generous & kind to others.
Though it seemed Randy was Colorado bred and raised, he was actually born 13 April 1957, in Sioux City, Iowa to Evelyn (Bell) & William Alfred
Welch. Randy attended Riverside High School, where he first met his wife, Kerry Merrill. Though Kerry didn't take a shine to Randy at first
he rapidly grew on her, & they became partners when her first son, Shawn was one-and-a-half years old. They married 2 Nov. 1987, when their second son, Billy was 3 months old.
Randy was always an aid cycle fan, enjoying motorcycles & stock cars & spending time with his brothers, who raced.
Before moving west in search of a new career, Randy worked at the stockyards & the IBP meat-packing plant in Sioux City. Randy & Kerry left Iowa in 1981 & moved to Grand Junction, Colo., during the oil shell boom. He worked for a truss building company & shortly thereafter, the Welches
moved to Norwood, after Randy had secured a position with Telluride Gravel, where he worked with his brother-in-law Fred Smith. He then did seasonal work for the Town of Telluride until he was hired full time in 1989 as a heavy equipment operator. He liked his job & worked there until 2007, when his big heart gave him trouble, he became disabled & he couldn't work no longer.
Many people will remember Randy's beaming smile behind a full face of black beard as he drove the tractors & bulldozers; he was a standard on the streets on Telluride for many years.
Randy enjoyed fishing & hunting, he was an avid turkey hunter, & when he wasn't riding his motorcycle, most of the time he could not be found
because he was at one of his sacred "honey holes",
private campsites where he was very successful making a good catch. He hunted all year long, with friends & relatives. "He was with the boys,"
said Kerry.
Randy leaves behind many family members who cherished him greatly including his wife, Kerry; sons, Shawn & Billy; his mother, Evelyn Marsh of Sioux City; brothers, Bill Welch & wife Jody of Sioux City, Doug Welch & his wife, Patti of McCook Lake, SD., Terry Welch of Sioux City & Rod Welch of Jefferson, SD.; brother & sister-in-law, Fred & Kathy Smith of Norwood; parents-in-law, Delores & William Clark Merrill of Sioux City; siblings-in-law, Wayne & Rita Merrill Sioux City, Roger & Yvonne Merrill of South Dakota, & Dan & Lori Merrill of Salix, Iowa; close nephew, Nolan Merrill; & numerous other nieces & nephews.
Randy was preceded in death by his sister, Deanna;
and his father, William.
In addition to his relatives, his large adopted family - made up of is many close friends - will miss him greatly.
We will always remember Randy, smiling, laughing, conversing, telling jokes. He was ever the man in black who loved his family greatly, boasting of his wife "the Governor" & raving about his children for hours at a time.
The only unfortunate thing about Randy was his big heart which began to fail him, & by the time he went, what strength he had left in that heart just wasn't enough for him to continue his happy life, Randy made the choice to go & be remembered proudly the way he was, & that is how we honor him. Yes, the loud noises coming from the East End of Main Street will be missed, but we will cherish "Rotten" Randy Welch - not rotten at all - forever.
Randy's family would like to give special thanks to the ladies at Alpine Home Hospice. Also, an account has been set up in Randy's name at American National Bank in Telluride, in lieu of flowers. A funeral service will not be held, but instead, according to Randy's wishes, the family will host a celebration to take place in the upcoming weeks.
source: Sioux City Journal
Though it seemed Randy was Colorado bred and raised, he was actually born 13 April 1957, in Sioux City, Iowa to Evelyn (Bell) & William Alfred
Welch. Randy attended Riverside High School, where he first met his wife, Kerry Merrill. Though Kerry didn't take a shine to Randy at first
he rapidly grew on her, & they became partners when her first son, Shawn was one-and-a-half years old. They married 2 Nov. 1987, when their second son, Billy was 3 months old.
Randy was always an aid cycle fan, enjoying motorcycles & stock cars & spending time with his brothers, who raced.
Before moving west in search of a new career, Randy worked at the stockyards & the IBP meat-packing plant in Sioux City. Randy & Kerry left Iowa in 1981 & moved to Grand Junction, Colo., during the oil shell boom. He worked for a truss building company & shortly thereafter, the Welches
moved to Norwood, after Randy had secured a position with Telluride Gravel, where he worked with his brother-in-law Fred Smith. He then did seasonal work for the Town of Telluride until he was hired full time in 1989 as a heavy equipment operator. He liked his job & worked there until 2007, when his big heart gave him trouble, he became disabled & he couldn't work no longer.
Many people will remember Randy's beaming smile behind a full face of black beard as he drove the tractors & bulldozers; he was a standard on the streets on Telluride for many years.
Randy enjoyed fishing & hunting, he was an avid turkey hunter, & when he wasn't riding his motorcycle, most of the time he could not be found
because he was at one of his sacred "honey holes",
private campsites where he was very successful making a good catch. He hunted all year long, with friends & relatives. "He was with the boys,"
said Kerry.
Randy leaves behind many family members who cherished him greatly including his wife, Kerry; sons, Shawn & Billy; his mother, Evelyn Marsh of Sioux City; brothers, Bill Welch & wife Jody of Sioux City, Doug Welch & his wife, Patti of McCook Lake, SD., Terry Welch of Sioux City & Rod Welch of Jefferson, SD.; brother & sister-in-law, Fred & Kathy Smith of Norwood; parents-in-law, Delores & William Clark Merrill of Sioux City; siblings-in-law, Wayne & Rita Merrill Sioux City, Roger & Yvonne Merrill of South Dakota, & Dan & Lori Merrill of Salix, Iowa; close nephew, Nolan Merrill; & numerous other nieces & nephews.
Randy was preceded in death by his sister, Deanna;
and his father, William.
In addition to his relatives, his large adopted family - made up of is many close friends - will miss him greatly.
We will always remember Randy, smiling, laughing, conversing, telling jokes. He was ever the man in black who loved his family greatly, boasting of his wife "the Governor" & raving about his children for hours at a time.
The only unfortunate thing about Randy was his big heart which began to fail him, & by the time he went, what strength he had left in that heart just wasn't enough for him to continue his happy life, Randy made the choice to go & be remembered proudly the way he was, & that is how we honor him. Yes, the loud noises coming from the East End of Main Street will be missed, but we will cherish "Rotten" Randy Welch - not rotten at all - forever.
Randy's family would like to give special thanks to the ladies at Alpine Home Hospice. Also, an account has been set up in Randy's name at American National Bank in Telluride, in lieu of flowers. A funeral service will not be held, but instead, according to Randy's wishes, the family will host a celebration to take place in the upcoming weeks.
source: Sioux City Journal
Gravesite Details
Cenotaph located in Norwood Cemetery, Norwood, San Miguel County, Colorado (Cemetery ID: 57462)
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