Forrest "Bud" Welker

Forrest M "Bud" Welker, 86 died of natural causes on December 9th at the Logan Health Care Center in Shelby, Montana.

Bud was Born on July 12th, 1936 in Shelby to Forrest and Marion (Pettigrew) Welker. He graduated from Conrad High School in 1954 and soon after served in the US Marines at Camp Pendleton from 1954-1957. He married Connie Hannah and they later divorced.

Bud married Elizabeth Appley on June 10th, 1965. They celebrated 57 years in June of 2022. He graduated from Havre with a teaching degree in the early 60s and later received a master’s degree in science. He taught school in Kremlin, Conrad, and Shelby. While in Kremlin and Conrad he also farmed during his downtime and after school. He ran up and down the Highline coaching kids from both Kremlin and Conrad in football, basketball, track, and wrestling. He was quite the athlete in his day so coaching came naturally to him.

In 1976 he moved the family to Shelby where they farmed, and the kids would graduate from high school. For a couple of years, they moved to Glasgow, where he was the Executive Director of the ASCS office. He was involved in Alcoholics Anonymous for over 40 years and was the District Representative and local delegate for many years. He was on the council at St. Luke's Lutheran Church and tutored many of the kids in Shelby. Bud was very intelligent and believed in everyone he helped, and he helped anyone and everyone! He loved to joke and tease and always had a funny story to tell.

His favorite and best role would be in the 90s when he earned the title of Grandpa. He was the best grandpa, and they will all tell you he never told them NO. He was an amazing teacher, those he taught still remember him and he would support anything that involved kids. He was often found downtown having coffee, he drank coffee morning, noon, and night!

He was preceded in death by both parents; his brother, Thomas in 1966; a brother, Frank; brother-in-law, Bob Appley in 2020; and sister-in-law Hattie in March of 2022.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Elizabeth Welker; son, Brett Welker of Washington; daughter, Wendy Irvin (Mark) of Helena; son, Thomas (Angie) of Shelby; son, Jack (Pixi) of Colorado; grandchildren, Morgan (Nicholas), Lindsay (Jarret), Sydney and Joshua; 4 great grandsons as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Services will be held on Thursday, December 15th, 2022 at 1:00pm at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Shelby with Pastor Wendy McAlpine officiating. Burial with military honors will follow in Mountain View Cemetery in Shelby. Reception following in the Parish Hall at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church.