William J. “Bill” Welch of Rossie, N.Y., passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, at Gouverneur Hospital. He was 90.
There is no funeral. Arrangements are with the Green Funeral Home, Gouverneur.
William was born in Orange, N.J., on Dec. 9, 1932, to Donald and Anna (Magg) Welch.
He graduated from Central High School in Newark, then served in the United States Air Force during the Korean conflict until he was honorable discharged.
Bill was raised in Newark but spent most of his summers and vacations in Upper Greenwood Lake. This is where he met the love of his life, Dorothy Klug. They married in January 1962.
He fell in love with the area, and they raised their family in West Milford.
He was co-owner of the Appalachian Restaurant with his brother, Don Welch. They ran it with their wives, Helen and Dorothy Welch. During their 28 years in the family restaurant business, they met many costumers who became lifelong friends.
Bill was fortunate on his retirement to find a beautiful farm in Rossie, N.Y. Luckily, he was a jack of all trades and spent the next few years doing improvements to the house to make it a wonderful home.
He was never one to sit still. He enjoyed riding motorcycles, cutting trails for the quad, keeping the land, and traveling to New Jersey to visit family and friends.
He loved being outdoors and made the North Country his home.
Bill was always an outgoing person and made many friends wherever he went.
He is survived by his wife, Dorothy; his children, Beverly Welch, Robin and Patrick Walsh, and William Jr. and Susan Welch; and his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents; his daughter Deborah Welch; and his bother Donald Welch.
Memorial donations in honor of Bill are encouraged to Friends 4 Pound Paws or Gouverneur Volunteer Rescue Squad.