Michael Welch of Waukegan, IL has gone home, leaving behind a circle of those who loved him.
Below, the simplest tribute: the truth of a life as it was lived.
Michael spent his working life as ['the United States Army retiring at the rank of Major'] — and was, by all accounts, loved by those who knew him best.
There is no greater gift than the one a parent gives by simply being present.
Michael Allen Welch, 78, of Waukegan passed away on Monday, April 27, 2026 at his home. He was born November 16, 1948 in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania to Dr. William and Betty Welch.
He had a decorated career in the United States Army retiring at the rank of Major, and earning the Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon. During his Army career he and his family lived in Kentucky, Texas and Stuttgart Germany before coming to Fort Sheridan, IL in 1985. In Germany, Mike served in the 1st. Infantry Division (Forward) in the 1st. Battalion, 63rd Armor, part of the forward deployed brigade of the "Big Red One." And inTexas, he served in the 1st. Cavalry Division, in armor and cavalry units including the 2nd. Battalion, 5th. Cavalry. After 1989, he left active duty for the reserves, and began work as a civilian for the Department of Defense, MEPCOM at Great Lakes Naval Station as a Management Analyst. He retired in 2008.
Mike grew up in State College, PA in a family of five kids; he was the middle of three brothers and one sister. His dad William Welch was a family doctor who still made house calls and sometimes took little Mike with him.
Mike loved trains and railroading from an early age and collected and built model railroads all his life; he also had a lifelong interest in Military History and the history of the U.S. Civil War, about which he had encyclopedic knowledge.
Mike went to State College Area High School, graduated from Penn State University with a Bachelors and Masters degrees in Classics and worked in the Rare Books Room at Penn State's Pattee Library before joining the Army in 1975.
Throughout his life, Mike was known for his courage, kindness and calm demeanor, as well as his photographic memory, love of crosswords puzzles and his razor-sharp wit. He was deeply loved and he will be greatly missed.
Mike is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Marcia J. Welch; his children, Heather Welch La Riviere (Patrick), Michael A. Welch, Jr. (Melanie); his grandchildren, Catherine, Aries, and Rose La Riviere and Sofia Welch as well as by his sister, Elizabeth Parker and his brother, Patrick Welch, MD. Mike was preceded in death by his two older brothers, James and William Welch.
Memorial services will be held from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, Saturday, July 11, 2026 at Peterson & Patch Funeral Home, 408 N. Sheridan Rd. Waukegan, Illinois. Interment will be private for the family.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his name may be made to the American Civil Liberties Union, www.aclu.org. Please sign our online guestbook at www.waukeganfunerals.com.
