Darryl J Welty

Born on March 12, 1941, Darryl was the beloved son of the late Raymond and Hope Welty. He was preceded in death by his parents; his daughter, Diana Lewis; and his grandsons, Brandon and Brett Lewis.

Darryl is survived by his devoted wife, Sandy Welty; his daughter, Gina (Don) Mansfield; and his cherished grandchildren: Amanda (Jeremy) Hardin, Jon (Emily) Boyer, Tyler Lewis, and Nick Lewis. He is also lovingly remembered by his step-grandchildren, Kelly (Fidel) Amigon and Josh Mansfield; his great-grandson, Lincoln Michael Hardin; and his step-great-granddaughter, Carla Amigon. He is further survived by his brothers, Don, Ken, and Greg Welty; and his brother-in-law, Dale (Cookie) Gall.

Darryl retired from Inland Steel (later Mittal Steel), where he worked at the No. 7 Blast Furnace with dedication and pride. He also served the Town of Highland and pursued higher education at Ivy Tech, graduating with honors and earning a bachelor’s degree in Heating, Cooling, and Refrigeration. A devout Catholic, Darryl was a faithful and active member of Our Lady of Grace Church in Highland. He served as an usher and devoted himself to numerous outreach ministries, including the church food pantry, angel tree program, homeless shelter meal services, paper drives, and any area where help was needed. His quiet generosity and unwavering commitment to service touched many lives.

Darryl had a passion for nature, animals, and gardening. As a member of the Illiana Garden and Pond Society, his beloved ponds and gardens were featured in Better Homes and Gardens magazine and showcased on the Illiana Pond Walk. He took pride in the three ponds, waterfalls, and streams he built, which reflected his love of frogs, koi fish, and the outdoors. He also enjoyed astronomy, stargazing, attending NHRA drag races, and looked forward each year to the Steel Mill Picnic. Darryl was rarely without a coffee in hand, enjoyed playing the lottery, and could often be found pulling weeds,sometimes even in his neighbors’ yards.

Known for his goofy sense of humor, Darryl loved to sing silly songs to his daughters, pull pranks, and brighten others’ days with laughter. He often joked, “I can do it, I’m Superman!” His taste in music ranged from oldies and classic rock to Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, with Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers holding a special place in his heart.

Above all, Darryl was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and friend. He shared 58 wonderful years of marriage with his beloved wife, Sandy Welty. His kindness, compassion, strong work ethic, and love for God and family will be remembered always.

Darryl will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.

A visitation for Darryl will be held on Monday, September 8, 2025, from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Kuiper Funeral Home, 9039 Kleinman Road, Highland, IN 46322. An additional visitation will take place on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM at Our Lady of Grace Church, 3025 Highway Avenue, Highland, IN 46322, followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:30 AM.