Henry Ray Hank"" Welch

Henry Ray "Hank" Welch, 85, of Navajo Dam, died Oct. 26, 2008, at home. He was born Sept. 28, 1923, in Alma, Texas, the ninth of 10 children born to Horace and Adera Welch. Hank worked on the family farm until age 14. In 1939, he went to work for Gulf in Farwell, Texas, as a member of the seismograph crew. He worked in Texas oil fields until July 1943, when he went into the Army Air Corps. During his military service, he received his high school equivalency, in 1945. he was honorably discharged with the rank of sergeant. He went to work at Sandia National Labs in Albuqerque until his retirementin 1979. On 1981, he moved to Navajo Dam where he lived until his death.Hank was married to Dorothy Jean Conner from 1941 until 1946. They had no children. From 1946 until 1967, he was married to Earlene Frances Turner Nance. They had two children, Thaomas Ray Welch and LaAuna Frances Welch. Hank married Eulita Mae Craven North on Dec. 12. 1970, and were blissfully happy ever after. After moving to Navajo Dam, Hank and Eulita became involved in community activities. They helped to organize the Navago Dam Volunteer Fire Department and served for more than six years. He served on the Board of Directors of the Navajo Dam Water Consumers' Association for more than six years, two of those as president. He was preceded in death by his parents and by four brothers and five sisters. Hank was baptized into the Christian faith in March of 1967, at Monte Visa Christian Church in Albuquerque, and remained a member there until July of 1981, when he and Eulita transferred their membership to Bethany Christian Church in Farmington. Arrangements are with Alternative Choice Cremation and Funeral Services 804 N. Dustin Ave. Farmington, NM (505) 326-3671