Dave A. Welder | May 27, 1950 - August 9, 2022
Obituaries-Mobridge / Posted Aug 11, 2022 | 11:51 AM / 227 views
David A. Welder, 72, of Gettysburg, passed away, Tuesday, August 9, 2022 at Avera Oahe Manor, Gettysburg.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m., Friday, August 12, 2022, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Gettysburg, with Father Brian Simon presiding. Visitation will be one-hour prior to the service. Burial will follow at 1:45 p.m. in the Green Wood Cemetery, Mobridge.
Dave was birthed, on May 27, 1950, to Michael and Barbara (Zahn) Welder at Mobridge, SD, the third of this large family. He was nurtured by his parents, five brothers, three sisters and a surrounding loving community on a farm near Glencross, South Dakota. While the financial environment was challenging, he was supported by a loving Catholic church and family, obviously dependent on the supply of a loving and always adequate, if not generous God. Among the loves of youth, Dave enjoyed hunting, fishing and motorcycles which he pursued into his later years. While academics were challenging to Dave, he learned the hard physical work of any farm boy of the 1950s. He had an appreciation for the mechanics of engines and attended Mitchell VoTech in Mitchell, SD. He worked at various agricultural entities before moving to Texas to join a combine crew in the 1970’s.
There, he met and married Roxanne Irons. Three children were born into this family: Tami Land, Karen, and David are all current residents of Texas. The family returned from Texas to Mobridge, SD where he worked as a mechanic. The family then moved to the Onida, SD area where Dave spent several years in the trucking industry. He frequently indicated that those years were to teach appreciation for other jobs.
Dave spent his later years at Gettysburg, SD, where he enjoyed “Buddy” his large cat as well as a community of cats that frequented his generous feed trough. He often spoke of his local friends with whom he might chat with over Sunday morning coffee. The family and Dave are most appreciative of his friend Dean who was loyal and sacrificial in Dave’s years of decline. Dave was compromised by heart disease from his middle age going forward. After a harrowing attack of Covid, he eventually entered Gettysburg Nursing Facility, where he was treated with great kindness and generous food until his death.
His surviving family thanks the entire medical community of Onida and Gettysburg for their good and discretionary care of Dave.
He is survived by his three children; four grandchildren, (one deceased) five brothers and three sisters and many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, PO Box 285, Gettysburg, SD 57442, or just feed the cats!
Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg has been entrusted with Dave’s arrangements.