John Welton

John Welton, 89, of Moorhead died peacefully on Saturday, April 7, 2012, at Essentia Health following a short hospital stay. John Welton was born on August 2, 1922 in Fargo, North Dakota, to John and Gladys (Bartell) Welton, Sr. His education began in a one-room country school east of Wolverton, MN. After a move to Fargo when he was in third grade, John continued his schooling in Fargo where he graduated from Fargo Central High School in 1939. He attended North Dakota Agricultural College from 1939-1940 and worked at the Dutch Maid Ice Cream Store throughout high school and college. John married Violet Mickelson on December 9, 1941, in Hollywood, CA. As a member of the Army Signal Corps during World War II, he served for 39 months and participated in two D-Day Invasions (in Leyte, Philippines and Okinawa, Japan). Upon receiving his discharge from the military, John and Vi owned and operated an ice cream store in Seattle, WA. When they returned to Fargo, he became involved in the tire and petroleum business owning three service stations and a fleet of wreckers. While in the service station business, he was instrumental in starting the first Retail Gasoline Dealers Association in the Fargo-Moorhead area and served as the first president. Later, John was a Safety Consultant, working for Schultz & Lindsay Construction Company for ten years. He then established his own safety consultant business, retiring in 2003. John was an active member of Plymouth Congregational Church in Fargo and a current member of Cormorant Lutheran Church. He was active in Cub Scouts, a board member and volunteer for safety-related organizations, a charter member and president of the North Dakota Society of Safety Management, a member of the Minn-Kota Red Cross Board for 25 years (filling the role as Disaster Chairman and co-chairman for the 1957 tornado that devastated north Fargo), the County Chairman of Sugar Lump Sunday to combat polio in 1963, a founding member and first president of the North Dakota Eye Bank through the Sertoma Club, a charter member and former president of Cormorant Lion’s Club and a recipient of the Melvin Jones Award. He was a member of the Fargo American Legion, Fargo VFW and Fargo Disabled American Veterans. He is survived by his wife; son, Dr. Steven Welton (partner, Stephen Long) of Richmond, VA; two daughters, Joan (Warren) Runestrand of Cleveland, OH and Laurie (Scott) Thorson of Sioux Falls, SD; two sisters, Corrine Seehorn of Sun City, AZ and Carrol Fredrickson of Kenosha, WI; 6 grandchildren – Scott (Treasia) Runestrand, Angela Beamon, Janna Thorson, Andrea Thorson, Luke Thorson, AJ Thorson; 3 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-granddaughter. John was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Robert Welton. Visitation: Tuesday, April 10, 2012 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at Hanson-Runsvold Funeral Home, followed by a Prayer Service 7:00 PM. Funeral Service: 2:00 pm on Wednesday, April 11, 2012, at Cormorant Lutheran Church, County 4, Lake Park, MN. Burial: North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan, ND. In lieu of flowers, please direct memorials to a charity of your choice.