Rev. Donald J. Welch

Donald James Welch peacefully entered into Eternal Rest on Jan. 22, 2016, after a life well lived for over 84 years. 

Born in Ashland, Kentucky on April 9, 1931, to John and Mary Welch, Don was the sixth of their eight children. He was educated in the public schools of Ashland before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Union College in Barbourville, Kentucky and a Masters of Divinity from Duke University. 

After returning to Kentucky in 1954, Don was ordained as a Methodist minister. He married Nancy Wilder of Corbin, Kentucky and began his career in the ministry and college administration, serving as Pastor of Methodist churches in Williamsburg and Berea, KY, and on the college faculties of Union and Berea Colleges. 

Don and his family moved to Durham, North Carolina in 1964 where he served as the Assistant Dean of the Duke Divinity School. 

In 1969, Don was named as the Wofford College Dean of Students and later College Chaplain. While at Wofford he also taught religion, philosophy, public speaking and humanities. Don became President of the Scarritt Graduate School for Sacred Music and Religious Education in Nashville, Tennessee in 1979 where he served for 10 years. Thereafter, Don and Nancy moved to Macon, Georgia, and there he was the Vice-President of Wesleyan College. 

After retiring from Wesleyan College, Don returned to his true calling, and became Pastor of Park Memorial United Methodist Church in Macon.