Roy Dickinson Welch Jr.

1928 - 2019

Mystic - Roy Dickinson Welch Jr., 91, was born in Springfield, Mass. Feb. 22, 1928, and passed away peacefully Oct. 14, 2019, at StoneRidge in Mystic.

Mr. Welch attended Princeton, Northwestern and Chicago universities. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees in English from Northwestern. While there, he met the love of his life, Constance Janet Alexander and the two married Dec. 21, 1951, in Evanston, Ill., at her home church.

After graduating from Officer Candidate School in Newport, R.I., Mr. Welch served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War as lieutenant junior grade on board the Electra and Catamount. He also served at the Pearl Harbor Receiving Station in Hawaii, where he and Constance lived happily for several years. Roy greatly enjoyed mentoring young cadets at the Coast Guard Academy in New London.

After serving in the Navy, Mr. Welch worked as assistant to the president of Rand McNally for many years. He was director of development at the Rhode Island School of Design. He also was the vice president of the Cumerford Co., a national fundraising firm. In 1978, he became director of development at Connecticut College. Founding his own development company, he organized successful campaigns for organizations including, Mystic Congregational Church Organ Fund, Mystic Community Center, Mystic and Noank Library, Lyme Academy of Fine Arts and Mystic River Ambulance Co. Mr. Welch conceived and led the Mystic River Wharf and Park campaign for downtown Mystic.

He grew up in a musical family and played the violin his entire life. He played violin in local churches, area hospitals and nursing homes. He laughed when recounting that, as children, he and his brother were paid 5 cents for singing in Princeton University Chapel services. His children and grandchildren continue this musical tradition. He delighted in building harpsichords, sailing, woodworking, photography and spending time on Martha's Vineyard. He was a long-time member of the Mystic Congregational Church and served on the Stonington Commission on Aging for 10 years.

He was a very popular man with a great sense of humor, amusing and cheering his friends with anecdotes, jokes and songs. He wrote and published stories, poems and articles throughout his life. Roy was a true gentleman, scholar, musician, faithful church member and family man who was greatly beloved by family and friends. He was generous of spirit with a positive outlook and zest for living.

He was predeceased by his wife Constance Alexander Welch; and one of his twin daughters, Constance Alyson Welch. He is survived by daughters, Jody Dore Welch (Henry Skillman) of Katonah, N.Y., Cynthia Anne Welch-Moriarty, surviving twin, (JackMoriarty), of Amherst, Mass., Jocelyn Spencer Welch-McCarthy (Robert McCarthy) of South Kingstown, R.I.; and son Scott Alexander Welch (Mary Ellen Banisch) of New York, N.Y.; six grandchildren, Christopher Welch Moriarty, Kimberly Anne Berkowitz, Timothy Welch Moriarty, Alexander Welch Skillman, Samuel Alexander McCarthy, Madeleine Spencer McCarthy; and one great-grandchild, Aoife Mae Coombs-Moriarty.

Join us in celebrating Roy's life at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, at Mystic Congregational Church, followed by a reception.

Gifts in Roy D. Welch's memory should be made to Mystic Congregational Church, Mystic, or to The Parkinson's Foundation, 200 SE 1st Street, Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131.

For a full obituary, please visit Dinoto Funeral Home at www.dinotofuneral.com.