today's record

Sunday, October 10, 2004

Births

Noah Jacob Reese

Alana M. Reese, Nevada, is proud to announce the birth of her son, Noah Jacob Reese. Noah was born at 6:01 p.m., on Sept. 22, 2004, at Nevada Regional Medical Center. He weighed 8 pounds, 3 ounces, and measured 19 inches. He joins two siblings, Justin A. Prewitt, and Lauren Prewitt. Maternal grandparents are Alan and Zan Reese, Highlandville, Mo.

Obituaries

Donald Eldon Welton

Donald Eldon Welton, age 84, passed away on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2004, He was born Sept. 12, 1919, in Pawhuska, Okla., to the late Eldon Roswell Welton and Grace Lee Sheets Welton. He was raised in Deerfield.

After graduating from Purdue University with a Ph.D. in organic chemistry. Don worked as a research chemist with DuPont for 41 years, He holds numerous U.S. and International patents. After retiring from DuPont, Don continued a productive professional life by consulting with Equistar, where a spokesman said his work was "valued greatly."

He was a past president and 62-year member of the Victoria Chapter of the American Chemical Society. Don was active in the community as a long-time Scoutmaster of the Boy Scouts of America, and a member of the DeLeon District Committee. He was a past president and long-time member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Victoria. He was the first president of the Smith Elementary PTA. He was also a member of the Toastmasters and worked with the Literacy Council, mentoring adults who were learning to speak English.

Don loved all types of music. He was a long-time supporter and a past president of the Victoria Bach Festival. He began his musical career learning to play the trumpet at age 6, and he performed in jazz and swing bands throughout his life. Don was a "tool nut," collecting hundreds of tools, all of which he knew how to use and would produce at the appropriate time. As an inventor, he took great pleasure in "re-engineering" every piece of equipment that he acquired. He was the first person in Victoria to build a television set from a kit. Don was generous with his time and talents, always available to use his many tools to help friends, family and strangers. Don loved his work, and was devoted to his family and friends.

He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Welz Welton of Victoria; stepmother, Hazel Welton, of Deerfield; daughters, Susan Hyak and husband, Ronnie, of Victoria, Texas, Carol Hurley, of Conroe, Texas, and Laura Heupel and husband, Dick, of Bloomington, Ind.; sons, Michael Welton, of Victoria, Texas, Bruce Welton and wife, Pam, of Mulberry, Ind., and Chris Welton, of Dallas, Texas; brother, Boyd Lee Welton of Oakland, Calif; grandchildren, Denise Mills, of Phoenix, Ariz., Kristin Welton, of Tucson, Ariz, Tiffany Welton, of Corvallis, Ore., Ron Hyak, of Victoria, Texas, Melanie Hyak, of Victoria, Texas, Kate Hurley, of Conroe, Texas, Melanie Heupel, of Bloomington, Ind., Gina Heupel, of Bloomington, Ind., and Claire Elizabeth Welton, of Dallas, Texas; and great-grandchildren, Andrea Mills and Taylor Mills, both of Phoenix, Ariz.

Memorial services were held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2004, at the First United Methodist Church in Victoria, Texas, with the Rev. Frank Schulman officiating. The family received friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., on Sept, 7, 2004, at Rosewood Funeral Chapels in Victoria, Texas.

The family will receive friends from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., on Sunday, Oct. 10, 2004, in the Ferry Funeral Home Chapel, Nevada. Graveside services will follow in Deerfield Cemetery at 1:30 p.m., in Deerfield.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Victoria Bach Festival or the Donald E. Welton Memorial Science Scholarship Fund at First Victoria National Bank through the Rosewood Funeral Chapels, 3304 Mockingbird Lane, Victoria. TX 77904.