Roderick M. Welch, 87, of Chatfield, Minn., passed away peacefully at the Chosen Valley Care Center on February 24, 2022.
Roderick was born on June 1, 1934, to Marshall and Ella (Herrick) Welch. He attended Pleasant Grove rural school and Chatfield High School, graduating in 1953. After high school, he drove dump truck before enlisting for two years in the Army, most of it stationed in Germany. Upon returning state side, he took a job at IBM. Around this time he met a girl, asked her out and she said yes. He kept asking and she kept saying yes, so he married her. Rod and Marjorie Borgschatz were married on August 21, 1959, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Pine Island. Following their marriage, the couple moved to the family farm west of Chatfield to raise their family.
In addition to farming, Rod owned and operated Chatfield Motor Company, maintaining township roads and driving dump truck. Always working, he enjoyed the yearly tasks of making maple syrup, putting up wood for the winter, maintaining the garden and orchard and the tri-annual event of growing sorghum for making molasses with the sorghum mill that he and his brother Freeman rebuilt together. He enjoyed his free time in the woodshop and anything Studebaker. We enjoyed his dad jokes.
Survivors include his four daughters: Bonnie Lutzi, Sharon (Brian) Fisher, Dawn (Daryl) Buck, and Amy (Adam) Koenigs; and three sons: Brian (Karen) Welch, Cye Welch, and Mark (Nicole) Welch; brother Martin Welch of Winterville, N.C.; and 12 grandchildren: Scott and Jade Lutzi, Brandon Buenger, and Zachary and Marshall Welch, Andrew, Calvin and Mason Buck, Austin, Sean and Josie Koenigs and Erin Knoepke; and two great grandchildren, Wynter Morrow and Paislee Lutzi.
Rod was preceded in death by his parents, two young sisters, brother Freeman Welch and loving wife Marjorie.
Visitation will be held at the Calvary Baptist Church in Chatfield where Rod was a founding member, on Wednesday, March 2 from 4-7 p.m. and one hour prior to the funeral service. Funeral services will be performed by Pastor Mike Gittins at the church, starting at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 3. Interment at Sumner Center Cemetery will be at a later date.
Memorials may be directed to Ironwood Springs Christian Ranch or Chosen Valley Care Center.
Arrangements are with Riley Funeral Home in Chatfield. Online condolences are welcome at www.rileyfuneralhomes.com.