Dateline: July 17, 2008

Charles Burton Welty died Friday, July 11, 2008, at his home on Greenbelt Lake.

Services were held at the First Baptist Church in Clarendon at 11 a.m. Monday, July 14, 2008, with Rev. Eddy Helms, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church of Tulia, and Rev. Lance Wood, pastor of First Baptist Church of Clarendon, officiating  Burial was in the family plot in the Shamrock Cemetery in Shamrock at 3 pm on Monday afternoon.

Charles was born in Shamrock, Texas, on December 13, 1930, as the first child of Troy and Frankie Pollard Welty. His grandparents, Drury and Eula Lee Pollard, were early day settlers in Wheeler County. In 1906 in Center Community, they purchased farm land which is still owned by Charles and other family members.

Cowboy movies have always been a passion for Charles; and as a child, a star named Buck Jones was his favorite. He wanted to be called “Buck” so badly that he refused to answer to any other name; therefore, his lifelong nickname “Buck” came about.

Buck attended school in Center Community near the family farm northeast of Shamrock, and later he attended the Shamrock schools. He dropped out of school at the age of 17 to make money. Buck married Jo Bearden at the First Baptist Church of Shamrock on December 25, 1949. He attended 5 years of apprentice school in Plumber’s Local Union #196 in Amarillo, earning his state license in 1954. He received his Master Plumber’s License in 1959. He earned his GED as an adult in the early 90s. In 2007, he received an award for being a member of Local 196 for 55 years. He retired from Plains Plumbing Company in 1992 after working there for more than 20 years.

Buck and Jo lived in Amarillo for 41 years before moving to Greenbelt Lake in 1991. They enjoyed camping, water-skiing, snow skiing, sailing, and traveling with their family.

In 1955, Buck was a charter member of Eastridge Baptist Church and chairman of the building committee when the first building was constructed. Buck was very active in Texas Baptist Men’s Retired Volunteer Builders starting in 1993. He worked at many Baptist camps across Texas helping to build worship centers, dormitories, and other facilities. He volunteered almost two years at My Father’s House in Lubbock building a facility for disadvantaged women and children. In 2004, he and Jo spent a month in Gateshead, England, doing volunteer work at Easington Baptist Church. He served as a deacon in the First Baptist Church of Clarendon and was instrumental in remodeling the Fellowship Hall.

Buck was preceded in death by both his parents; and a brother, Michael Paul Welty, Sr.

Buck is survived by Jo, his wife of 58 years; a son Dan Welty and wife Terri, grandson Austin, granddaughter Melissa, all of Coppell; a daughter, Joburta Helms and husband Eddy of Tulia, granddaughter Lindy Huddleston and husband Chris, great-grandson Hal of Lubbock; granddaughter, Carrie Tippen and husband Jay of Philippi, West Virginia; granddaughter, Andra Vaughn and husband Joel of Canyon; a daughter, Melody Jones and husband Dane, grandson Evan of Lewisville. He is also survived by a sister-in-law, Billie Welty of Amarillo; three nephews, Michael Welty, Jr. of Washburn, Jeff Welty of Dallas, Robert Hampton of Englewood, Florida; one niece, Debra Dow of Cheney, Washington; and one great nephew, Michael Welty, III of Lubbock.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials may be made to the Tool Fund of Texas Baptist Men Retired Builders at 333 N. Washington St., Dallas, Texas, 75246.