Robert K. "Bob" Welke

Mass of Christian Burial for CW4 (Retired) Robert K. "Bob" Welke, 63, Lawton, will be at 10:30 AM Tuesday in the Holy Family Catholic Church with Rev. Philip Seeton, pastor, officiating.

Mr. Welke died Thursday, October 2, 2003, at a Tulsa medical center.

Burial with full military honors will be in the Fort Sill National Cemetery, Elgin, under the direction of the Becker Funeral Home.

He was born August 7, 1940, in Ewing, Nebraska to E. L. and Sibyl Welke. He grew up and graduated from Ewing High School in 1958.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army on August 26, 1958, and served over 32 years active duty. He was appointed to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 1 in December 1968. His tours of duty consisted of Fort Hood, TX; Fort Riley, KS; two tours to the Republic of Vietnam, the Republic of Korea, Fort Richardson, AK; Fort Huachuca, AZ; Fort Benning, GA; Baumholder, Germany, and Fort Sill, OK. Mr. Welke's awards and declarations included the Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with one Silver and one Bronze Service Star, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation and The Ancient Order of Saint Barbara. He also attended the University of Nebraska and received a Bachelors Degree in 1973.

He retired from the Army on May 1, 1990. After retiring from the military he was employed by the Lawton Constitution and later was employed by the Lawton Public Schools. He married Charlene Nichols on September 30, 1967, in Wichita Falls, TX.

Survivors include his wife, of the home; four sons and daughters-in-law: Carl and Debbie Welke, Ardmore; Jessie and Leigh Ann White, Tampa, Florida; Bruce and Peggy Welke, Oklahoma City; Elliott and Barbara Newton, Lawton; two daughters and sons-in-law: Eunice and James McCarter, Bartow, Florida; Debbie and Mark Reed, Chickasha; 19 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren, his mother, Sibyl M. Welke, Ewing, Nebraska; a brother and sister-in-law, Milan and Ruth Welke, Ewing, Nebraska; two sisters, Bonnie Welke, Ewing, Nebraska and Jean Rodgers and her husband, Harold, O'Neal, Nebraska.

His father, E. L. Welke, and two sons, Johnny Elsworth Welke and Jeffery Kent Welke, preceded him in death.

Memorial contributions may be made to Cancer Treatment Centers Of America, Southwestern Regional Medical Center, 2408 E. 81st Street, Tulsa, OK 74137. You may also telephone your donation in by calling toll free: 1-888-221-2873.