William E. Welstead

William E. Welstead

Dec. 5, 1926 - March 24, 2021

William E. "Bill" Welstead passed away Wed., March 24, 2021, at St. Catherine's. Visitation will take place from 5 to 7 p.m., Monday, March 29, at OakCrest Funeral Home, 4520 Bosque Blvd, Waco. Service will be held 1:30 p.m., Tues., March 30, at Woodway First United Methodist Church, 21000 West Woodway Drive (Hwy 84), Woodway, TX, with Pastor Bryan Patrick officiating. Burial will follow at Waco Memorial Park. Facial covering and social distancing requested.

Bill was born in Fremont, Nebraska, on December 5, 1926, to William E. and Stella Denny Welstead. He attended school in Fremont and upon graduation entered the Army. During WWII he served in the Pacific theater and was Sgt Major with the Corps of Engineers on his discharge. Upon his return from the Army, he married Vickie Westphal on June 15, 1947. They had three children, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Bill worked for an insurance and small loan company, a commercial bank, and the Veterans Administration. He ran the servicing, foreclosure, and liquidation of defaulted loans for the GI loan program in Nebraska, Arizona, Montana and Texas. They moved to Texas in 1970, and Bill retired as Asst. Regional Director of the VA in 1986.

Bill was a freemason for 70 years and served as Worshipful Master of the Fremont Nebraska lodge in 1951. He was active in the Kiwanis Club of Waco Seniors. Vickie and Bill were active members of churches throughout their travels and were members of Woodway First United Methodist.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Marvin Welstead and his wife, Jean.

He is survived by Vickie, his wife of 73 years; one daughter, Julie Bradley and husband, Mark, of Erie, CO; grandson, David Bradley and wife, Brandi, great-grandson, Collin, and great-granddaughter, Tori of Newalla, OK; granddaughter, Arielle Barr and husband, Jeff, great-grandson, Aedan of Centennial, CO; son, Gregg Welstead and wife, Jacquie, of Pensacola Beach, FL; grandsons, Brian Welstead of Orange Park, FL and GySgt Scott Welstead, USMC and wife, Valerie, of Sneeds Ferry, NC; and son, Mark Welstead and wife, Carol of Hewitt, TX, granddaughter, Melissa Welstead of San Antonio, TX, grandson, Matt Welstead and wife, Emmalie, and great-grandsons, John and Andrew of Woodway, TX, as well as several nieces and nephews.

The family requests that memorials be made to Woodway First United Methodist Church Building Fund, 21000 W Woodway Dr, Woodway, 76712, or the Waco Senior Kiwanis scholarship fund c/o Jack Munson, 8217 Forest Ridge, Waco, 76712.

The family would like to thank everyone associated with Ascension Providence and especially their multitude of compassionate caregivers.

Pallbearers will be Aedan Barr, Collin Bradley, David Bradley, David McCauley, Richard VanderWoude, and Matt Welstead. Honorary Pallbearers will be Arielle Barr, Bart Furl, Brian Welstead, Scott Welstead, and Melissa Welstead.

Send a message to his family and watch his Video Tribute at www.oakcrestwaco.com