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Jack Welch Obituary
Jack Eugene Welch, Jr.
Jack Eugene Welch, Jr., a beloved friend of
Flagstaff, a Daily Sun "Citizen of the Year" and Best of Flagstaff "Volunteer of the Year" passed on Friday July 21, 2023. He was the eldest and last surviving son of Jack Eugene Welch, Sr. and Edna Agnes (Hunt) Welch.
He was born March 22, 1938, in St. Louis, Missouri. He had two siblings, Thomas Welch (1944) and James Welch (1945).
Jack is survived by good friend Don Carter, his nieces Lori Kirk and Lisa Welch, their families, and many, many Flagstaff friends. He was a devoted son, a loving uncle, and a cherished friend.
Jack enlisted in the US Army and served Honorably from November 1960 through November 1963.
He lived in St Louis, Missouri, Winter Haven, Florida and Augsburg, West Germany. Jack worked for 32-years for the Benjamin-Moore paint company, and enjoyed telling people he was the first and only color-blind quality and color control inspector in the company. He enjoyed traveling in the western U.S., bicycling, and moved to Flagstaff upon retirement in 1998.
Jack volunteered, led or helped with at least the following agencies and efforts: the National Park Service as a volunteer at Wupatki National Monument, as a member of the Friends of Northern Arizona Forests, with the Arizona Trail Efforts, with the Coconino County Cycling Club, with the Coconino Health Department and as a member of the Friends of Coconino County, with the Flagstaff Sustainability and Environmental Management Section, Traffic Commission, Disability Awareness Commission, Beautification and Public Art Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission, Open Space Commission, the Pedestrian Advisory Committee, the Bicycle Advisory Committee, with the Flagstaff Senior Olympics and as a tireless volunteer with the Flagstaff Thorpe Park Community and Senior Center. He originated and supported the annual New Years Day "Great Pinecone Clean Up" efforts in downtown Flagstaff. Jack and Randy Wilson started the New Years Day Polar Plunge as another means to collect food for the local food bank. Jack started and supported ping-pong at the adult center.
He enjoyed sharing his knowledge about Flagstaff and the surrounding areas. Jack led the Tuesday "Walk the Walk" programs, innumerable weekend walks, and wrote the twice-monthly "Flagstaff Trailheads" column until 2020.
In recognition of these efforts, Jack was recognized as the Arizona Daily Sun Flagstaff Male Citizen of the Year in 2009 and by the "Best of Flagstaff" team as Volunteer of the Year in 2011. In 2016 the Flagstaff Open Spaces Commission recognized him for leading his 100th public walk in Picture Canyon Natural and Cultural Preserve.
Jack added so much to the Flagstaff community, and he will sorely be missed. His legacy lives on because Jack made the world a better place.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Jack Welch
George Ulrich
July 31, 2023
I remember enjoyable walks with Jack on visits to Flagstaff, accompanied by Dick Holm, Merrill Abeshaus (& Sally Brown) and a grandson on one. Jack was a friendly, knowledgable hiker. I especioally recall ending one hike through Thorpe Park in a blazing lightening storm when all made it safely out.
Ron Bauman
July 29, 2023
I knew Jack Welch through table tennis, but also through shared hiking and outdoor experiences. Jack organized the Flagstaff Table Tennis Club for which we had been trying to get going for years. Eventually we had up to 15 persons playing 3 nights a week for several years. Sometimes during pong breaks, Jack and I sat at a table and talked at length on many topics. I learned of his history in St. Lois working for long years in a paint factory, eventually securing the lead position in charge of "color quality". Especially fascinating was that this was in spite of Jack's being colorblind. Unfortunately, I did not take this into account when I made Jack a painting which included a rainbow. Jack graciously didn't care.
I also enjoyed one of his Flagstaff Mural walks, during which he walked very fast. Mostly, I remember his smile.
JeannePearson
July 29, 2023
Jack provided many of flagstaff residents with wonderful hikes and a better understanding of the beauty we are surrounded by. Thank you Jack
John Orr
July 28, 2023
What a great man. In every aspect. I will always remember him at all hours of the day picking up trash from the neighborhood with a smile. His knowledge of plants and flowers helped many of his neighbors. Rest In Peace
Laura
July 26, 2023
Jack helped welcome me to Flagstaff with his walks and his enthusiasm for outdoor urban recreation. He loved the nooks and crannies and the less-noticed corners of Flagstaff hiking: horse graves, wagon trails, ghost towns.
Thanks for so much, Jack.
Todd Barnell
July 26, 2023
I had the great honor of working alongside Jack in various volunteer work, laughed alongside him on many walks, and always burst into a big smile when I was lucky enough to run into him around town. Our community was fortunate to have his energy, his smile, and his friendship.
Davey
July 26, 2023
Dear Jack,
Thank you for being such an amazing advocate, host, volunteer, cleaner-upper, educator and friend. Most of all you have inspired countless others to literally follow in your footsteps and leave me better than you found me.
Thank you,
Love Flagstaff
Lisa Welch
July 25, 2023
Jack was a caring, supportive uncle and great uncle. He inspired a love of nature, lived his beliefs, and always found a way to be generous, even when he didn't have much to spare. I'm grateful for his example of a life well lived. He loved being part of the Flagstaff community, and my thoughts are with Don and his chosen family of wonderful friends.
Suzanne Lopez
July 25, 2023
Jack was a very kind gentleman and all-around great person. My deepest condolences to his friend Don and the rest of the Welch Family, he will be truly missed by all of us at Anthony Choi CPA.
Neil Weintraub
July 25, 2023
Neil Weintraub
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Neil Weintraub
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Neil Weintraub
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Neil Weintraub
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Neil Weintraub
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Neil Weintraub
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Neil Weintraub
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Neil Weintraub
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Neil Weintraub
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Neil Weintraub
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Neil Weintraub
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Neil Weintraub
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Neil Weintraub
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Neil Weintraub
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Neil Weintraub
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Neil Weintraub
July 25, 2023
Flagstaff has lost a truly amazing renaissance man and one of the nicest guys around.
Jack was such a mentor and role model for me beginning when our friendship developed over our mutual love of Picture Canyon, first meeting at the 2005 Make A Difference Day, where our Northern Arizona Trail Runners Association (NATRA) helped sponsor the clean up day.
During that day, Jack and I quickly found we had so much in common, that about the only thing we could quarrel over was his favorite team, the St. Louis Cardinals vs. my beloved NY Mets. Even on my last visit to see him at the rehab facility on McMillan Mesa in early July, we had a couple of good laughs bemoaning our disappointing seasons at hand.
As we spent more time getting to know one another, Jack always had brainstorms that I knew would hit the mark. In early 2011 when he suggested I added a walking division to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flagstaff Half Marathon, I thought, why didn't I think of that? And that was Jack, always thinking one step ahead.
He did that again, years later suggesting I welcome walkers to participate in the Randy Willson Memorial 4 on the 4th. I did, and from then on Jack dutifully sat with his pal Don at the halfway turnaround, congratulating participants and marking an x on their bibs, guaranteeing participants couldn't cut the course short.
While I will miss trading barbs with Jack, and our many hikes hikes through Picture Canyon or having our early morning laughs at the annual half marathon or 4 on the 4th, I will be honoring his memory every year as we have renamed our early start at the half marathon, the Big Brothers Big Sisters Walk the Walk with Jack Half Marathon. This year we are honoring him with special "I'm with Jack, Walk the Walk" buttons for all early starters. If you are interested in celebrating Jack with us on August 12th, please register ASAP at https://runsignup.com/Race/AZ/Flagstaff/BBBSMemorialRunWalk
RIP Jack, you have inspired a new generation of Flagstaff volunteers to keep your legacy of community service alive and going strong! Your pal, Neil
Geneen Granger
July 25, 2023
We will all miss walking with Jack in the forest and learning so much from him. Rest in peace.
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