Edwin E. Welch

Edwin Eugene Welch, 75, of Columbia, CT passed from this life on Saturday, December 19, 2015 from medical complications. He was born November 21, 1940 in Auburn, Maine to Edward and Emily Barrett Welch. Ed graduated from Edward Little High, Auburn, Maine in 1959. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1959 to 1961. He worked for the US Post Office starting in 1967, and rose to postmaster of the Storrs post office and retired in 2002. Ed received numerous awards for recognition from the US Postal Service. He remained with the U S Postal service as a consultant for special projects. He was a lifetime member of the Willimantic Elks BPOE 1311. Ed loved volunteering at the soup kitchen, loved Florida sunrises, travelled the world with his wife especially Tahiti, played golf and cribbage, loved all the seasons, skiing, and swimming. He was an avid reader and enjoyed joking with family and friends, and Ed especially enjoyed Elk's bingo and UCC community breakfasts. Ed was passionate and loyal, and his family was his priority. Ed is pre-deceased by his brothers Russell Morrell, Richard Welch and sister, Bertha Hansen. Ed is survived by his wife of 51 years, Velvet, daughter Denna and son-in-law Mark Chenette, grandson William Niedzwiecki and granddaughter Emily Niedzwiecki and Gabriella Chenette. He also leaves his brother Ernest Welch and wife Georgette, sister Starr and brother-in-law Carl Sward, sisters Pam Cooper, Joyce Bickford; sisters-in-laws Norma Welch and Pat Morrell, brother-in-law James Hansen, and countless nieces, nephews and friends. The family would like to thank the staff and nurses at Backus Hospital Norwich, especially Dr. Anca Bulgaru MD. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to St. Jude's Children Hospital, https://www.stjude.org/ The family will receive friends and family, and celebrate Ed's life, Tuesday, December 22, 2015 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Potter Funeral Home, 456 Jackson St. (Rte. 195) Willimantic, CT. The Funeral Service will be held Wednesday, December 23, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. at Columbia Congregational Church, 325 CT-87, Columbia, CT, with committal to follow in Center Cemetery. To sign the online memorial book please visit, www.potterfuneralhome.com