Mr. Francis James "“Jim”" Welch

Francis James "Jim" Welch, 80, died of natural causes at his residence in Klamath Falls on Tuesday, March 31, 2009, with his family at his side.
Disposition was by Pyramid Cremations. Memorial services will be held at Eagle Point National Cemetery on Friday, May 1, 2009, at 2 p.m. with military honors provided by Klamath Falls Veterans of Foreign Wars Pelican Post No. 1383 and members of the Marine Corps League.
He was born Dec. 2, 1928, in Thermalito, Calif., to Paris and Hazel (Ramsay) Welch.
He graduated from Klamath Union High School in 1948 and enlisted in the United States Navy on Sept. 21, 1948, serving during the Korean War and receiving several service medals. He was honorably discharged on Aug. 20, 1952.
Following his military service, he went to work at Clancy's Texaco service station. He then attended Oregon Technical Institute, now Oregon Institute of Technology, and graduated on June 5, 1955.
He opened Jim's Paint and Body Shop in 1956 and in 1958 went to work at Weyerhaeuser Timber Company while still maintaining his own business. He retired in 1984.
On Jan. 12, 1957, he married the former Mary Jean Owens-Kilgore. They had five children.
Jim is a lifetime member of the Klamath Falls VFW and was also a member of the Moose Lodge for several years. He enjoyed family outings, going to the coast, camping, western music, the VFW, playing pool and having a beer with his family.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years Mary Jean Kilgore Welch and his sons and daughters-in-law Shelly and Barbara Kilgore and Wesley and Linda Kilgore all of Klamath Falls; daughters and sons-in-law Susan and Bob Yuhaszs of Casper, Wyo., Judi and Jaxxson Schwarz of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Kathy Welch-Stevenson of Webster, Texas. Also nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren; sisters Frances Busby of Spokane, Wash., Emma Davis of Lake Fork, Idaho, Jerry Jewel Kohal and her husband Dick of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and Florence Bidwell of Keithville, La.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father Paris Welch, his stepfather Dwight Warrington, his brother Harold M. Welch, his mother Hazel Welch-Warrington and a great-grandson Kayden Delos Santos.
Jim's family wishes to thank Klamath Hospice for the compassionate and tender care they gave the family during Jim's illness.
Ward's Klamath Funeral Home (882-4404) is in charge of the arrangements.