Scott R. Welch
WASHINGTON D.C./MADISON- Scott R. Welch, age 53, passed away peacefully with his loved ones by his side on Monday, Jan. 7, 2013, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MA.
Scott was born on Sept. 5, 1959, to William Welch, Jr. and Doris (nee Manthe) Welch at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. Having enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps’ delayed entry program two days after his 17th birthday, Scott decided to graduate early from Madison East High School in January 1977, and in February entered the active duty ranks of the Marine Corps. Scott served numerous overseas assignments, primarily in the Western Pacific region and served in the Atlantic on sea duty, onboard various ships. His last Marine Corps duty station assignment was at Headquarters, Marine Corps serving as the Occupational Field Sponsor for over 12,000 data-communicators. He retired from the Marine Corps as a Master Gunnery Sergeant in July 2001. He is a life-time member of the VFW and an avid fan and proud shareholder of the Green Bay Packers. In spring of 1998, as a single parent of two girls, Scott met Michele Gillette, another single parent via the internet, while he was in the Republic of Korea on assignment and she was in San Jose, California. All this before, eHarmony, match.com, etc. Over the next two years, and a reassignment to the Virginia, both families became acquainted with each other traveling coast to coast. On May 5, 2000, Scott and Michele were united in marriage and made their home in Manassas, Virginia. After his retirement from the Marine Corps, Scott was employed with the Department of Homeland Security with his last assignment as the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Liaison to INTERPOL’s United States National Central Bureau in Washington, D.C. This was truly his finest assignment in which he enjoyed every day going to work at such an interesting law enforcement agency. Diagnosed with a Stage 4 Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) brain tumor in December 2010, he was subsequently retired from the federal government. In order to honor and connect with his fellow brethren of the Marine Corps, Scott became a contributor on the TogetherWeServed website. Within a year, he was asked and accepted to be a volunteer staff member on the website.
Survivors include his wife, Michele; their children, Sara of Norfolk, Virginia, Leah of Quantico, Virginia, Melissa, Jessica and Daniel of Manassas, Virginia; his brothers, Timothy (Ranee) of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin and Robert (Deborah) of Henrietta, Texas; and his three grandsons, Leo, William and Elijah; along with numerous relatives and friends. Scott was preceded in death by his parents; and sister, Laurel Lee.
Funeral services will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL HOME, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013, with the Rev. Mark Bartels presiding. Burial will be held at Roselawn Memorial Park with military honors being conducted. Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 14, 2013, and also from 9 p.m. until the time of service on Tuesday. In lieu of flowers, Scott has requested any memorials be sent to the Wounded Warrior Project P.O. Box 758517 Topeka, Kansas 66675 or on-line at https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/Default.aspx?tsid=66.
Memorials:
In lieu of flowers, Scott has requested any memorials be sent to the Wounded Warrior Project P.O. Box 758517 Topeka, Kansas 66675 or on-line at https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/Default.aspx?tsid=66.
Visitation:
Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 14, 2013, and also from 9 a.m. until the time of service on Tuesday.
Service:
Funeral services will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL HOME, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013, with the Rev. Mark Bartels presiding.
Cemetery:
Burial will be held at Roselawn Memorial Park with military honors being conducted.
