Eugene Welling

Beloved husband, father and grandfather, Eugene "Gene" Welling, 90, went to his Heavenly home on April 28, 2016. Gene was born on April 25, 1926 in Texline, Texas to Fred and Beulah Welling. He was the fourth of eight children. He graduated from Texline High School where he was a star basketball player. He joined the Navy in 1944 and saw the end of WWII as a radio operator on the troop carrier, USS Westmoreland, based in the Pacific.


Over a three day leave, he married his high school sweetheart, Maxine Lott in Clayton, NM on June 4, 1945. The romance that started in Texline High School lasted through 71 years of marriage. He and Maxine were blessed with 2 sons, Bobby and Don, 3 daughters, Elaine, Donna, and Pamela and Mary Speights who was like a daughter to Gene.


Upon his discharge from the Navy in 1946, he and Maxine moved to McCamey, Texas where he worked for West Texas Utilities Co as a service technician. He was a deacon at First Baptist Church. In 1969, he retired from West Texas Utilities Co. and moved his family to Odessa. While living in Odessa, Gene worked as Service Manager for Commercial Ice Machine Co. He was also an instructor at Odessa College where he taught refrigeration, air conditioning and electrical theory. He was an active member of Second Baptist Church. Gene retired from Commercial Ice Machine Co. in 1984.


Retirement gave Gene time to be a doting grandfather to his grandkids and to spend more time at the lake house in Colorado City. He spent many hours on the lake boating and skiing with his kids, grandkids and friends. In 1993, he and Maxine tired of maintaining 2 homes, left Odessa and made the lake house their only home. He was a member of First Baptist church and very active at the Senior Citizens Center where he was known as a domino player and story teller. In 2003, they left their beloved lake house to be close to their family in Waxahachie. Gene was a member of Maypearl First Baptist Church.


Gene is survived by his wife of 71 years, Maxine Lott Welling, 89; daughter Sondra Elaine Pirkle and husband Carl of Waxahachie; son Don Welling and wife Susan of Bullard; daughter Pamela Young and husband Brian of Friendswood; and Mary Speights and husband VO of Temple; grandchildren Jennifer Williamson and husband Stephen of Lufkin; Stephanie Menefee and husband Mark of Hattiesburg, MS; Kyle Young of Pearland; Sarah Welling of Tyler; Melanie Moffatt and husband Blake of Humble; Kayla Welling of Tyler and Patrick and Katherine Speights of Temple; and four great granddaughters , Alissa, Shaeleigh, Lylah and Journey. He was preceded in death by his daughter Donna Welling, his son Bobby Welling, grandson Dewayne Pirkle, brothers Freddy Welling, Earl Welling, and sisters Alfreda Carpenter, Rosalee Edger and Viola Puckett. He is survived by his brother Glen Welling.


Visitation with Gene's family will be held Monday, May 2 from 6 - 8 pm at Wayne Boze Funeral Home at 1826 W. Hwy 287 Business in Waxahachie. Graveside service will be held Tuesday, May 3 at 2:30 pm at Dallas-Ft. Worth National Cemetery at 2000 Mountain Creek Pkwy, Dallas. Close friends and family members are welcome. For those so inclined, in lieu of flowers, the family suggests that contributions be made in Gene's name, to charities of the givers' choice.


Arrangements are under the direction of Wayne Boze Funeral Home. www.waynebozefuneralhome.com

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