Richard Charles Welter

Obituary For Richard Charles Welter

Richard Charles Welter of Commerce, GA passed away on April 1, 2026 at the age of 97. Rich was born on March 11, 1929, in Huron, South Dakota, a few months before the Great Depression began. He was the son of William Charles (Billy) and Edna Eleanor Shult Welter. Rich was a devoted family man, a good provider, and proud of his children and their accomplishments. He set a great example for his kids, showing them that they could achieve their goals by working hard and being honest, fair, and straightforward. Like many engineers, Rich had an analytical and logical mind, which sometimes made him appear serious and quiet. However, his quiet nature reflected his quiet strength; he was warm and loving, deeply caring about other people. His way of expressing love was through doing things for others.

Growing up during the Great Depression, Rich learned the importance of hard work. As a boy, he took jobs like delivering newspapers and shoveling snow. At 15, he started driving an ambulance for his father's business, the Welter Funeral Home. Even with these responsibilities, Rich did well in school. At Huron High School, he earned many awards for both academics and athletics. He later earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines and served in the Army during the Korean War.

Rich started his professional career at Western Electric in 1957 and, over the years, received a number of promotions and transfers to different divisions within the company. In his last position, he worked in International Sales, which required extensive travel around the world until his retirement in 1984. Following his departure from Western Electric, Rich became part of Superior Cable and continued his career for several additional years.

In 1970, Rich made Atlanta, GA his permanent home. When he wasn’t working, he enjoyed tackling home improvement projects, recording and listening to music from his vast CD collection, and spending time with family. As a former football player, he also enjoyed watching professional football every Sunday. His favorite team was whoever happened to be playing that day. Together with his wife Dorrit, Rich enjoyed traveling, especially to what they considered their "happy place" in St. Barts, French West Indies. Throughout his lifetime, Rich was a dedicated supporter of numerous charities, including St. Joseph’s Indian School (Chamberlain, SD), Boys Town (Omaha, NE), St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (Memphis, TN), and the National Humane Society.

Rich is preceded in death by his second wife, Dorrit Lenea Welter, his brother, Dr. James C. Welter, his parents, Billy and Edna Welter, his son-in-law Dale Fawbush, and his great-granddaughter Ariadna Scheffler. He is survived by his five children – Jean Landuyt (Kevin), Susan Rodgers (Ted), Judy Fawbush, Patty Welter (Kathy), and Jim Welter. He is also survived by 7 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

At Rich’s request, no funeral or memorial service will be held. Rich’s cremated remains, along with his beloved wife Dorrit’s, will reside together at ­­­­­­­­­­­­Arlington Memorial Park Cemetery in Sandy Springs, GA.

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