Patrick Wayne Welch

Patrick Wayne Welch died on November 1, 2022 at the age of 82, in Chandler, near Tyler, Texas. He was preceded in death by his parents Hermon and Naomi Welch, and brothers William and Robert Welch. He is survived by son Michael, sister Elizabeth Yeaman, twin sister Nancy Welch, brother Tom Welch, numerous nephews, nieces, in-laws, as well as his former wife, Alba Evans.

Born in Fort Worth, Texas, he grew up in Austin. He served in the U.S. Army during the Cold War and was trained in counter-espionage, becoming fluent in German. One case he worked on involved a jet fighter pilot who defected from the Soviet Union. After returning to the United States he worked for several years in private security for a large department store chain. But he spent most of his adult life living in the San Francisco Bay area, where he became involved with the Rosicrucian Order, an organization that teaches meditation and mystical esoteric knowledge to its members.

Patrick loved the outdoors and traveled extensively in the North American wilderness. In the 1990s and early 2000s he managed a private duck hunting club in the wild wetlands just north of San Francisco Bay. He hosted guests staying in the clubhouse, prepared meals, and served as a guide through the vast marshlands. He enthusiastically shared his expert knowledge of the ecology of the area, and formed long lasting friendships with many of those guests.

For several years, he was also popular as a tour guide for youth groups visiting the historic gold-rush country in California. An excellent cook and wine enthusiast, he and his friends often visited the many wineries in nearby Napa Valley.

In 2005 he returned to the Austin, Texas area, where he owned and operated a car rental agency. He and Alba shared a home in Round Rock where, then in his seventies, he personally completed major landscaping improvements.

In recent years Patrick’s health declined. He bought a house in Murchison, outside Tyler, Texas, with the intention of making improvements. That proved to be too daunting. Over time, his sister, Nancy, who lives in Tyler, provided increasing amounts of care as needed. During the last year he lived in the Chandler Nursing Center.

An avid reader with great curiosity, Patrick was always interested in a broad range of topics. Having a conversation with him was a lot of fun. His sense of humor and charming sociability will be very much missed by those who knew him.

Memorial Services for Mr. Welch will be 2:00 pm Saturday Dec 17, 2022 in the Tyler Rose Chapel of Tyler Memorial Funeral Home 12053 Hwy 64 W, Tyler, Texas 75704, with Bro. Steve Turrentine officiating.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.dignitymemorial.com for the Welch family.