Harold Victor Welch

Harold Victor Welch

August 29th, 1936- December 5th, 2024

Aged 88 

Harold Victor Welch was born on August 29th, 1936 in Hobart, OK to Harold Edward (1909-1979) and Emma Jane (Tuller) Welch (1909-1994). He was the oldest of two children with his younger sister El Nora Janice (Welch) Thompson born February 6th, 1942.

As the son of a Soil Conservation Director and Teacher, Harold Vic’s family moved often. He was born in Hobart, OK in 1936, the family moved to Clinton, OK in 1939 where his sister El Nora was born in 1942. In the Summer of 1942 they moved to Geary, OK where Harold Vic started the 1st grade. In the Summer of 1943, they then moved to Mountain View, Ok where he attended 2nd grade and half of 3rd grade. Then in January 1945 they moved to Okeene where he finished 3rd grade and 4th grade. Throughout his childhood his father purchased land around his hometown of Helena and in 1946 they moved to the farm 2 miles northwest of Helena and Harold attended the 5th and 6th grades there. The winter of 1947-48 proved to be brutal. With Harold Sr. working in Okeene a blizzard hit Helena and Harold Vic, El Nora and Emma Jane were stuck at the farm and Harold Sr. couldn’t get to them for 11 days. Due to that and the muddy dirt roads the family moved back to Okeene in the Summer of 1948 where Harold Vic finished school and graduated from Okeene High School in 1954. While in High School he played football and played the Trombone in the band but excelled the most with his voice in the chorus and singing solos, as he received many superior awards for his solos around the state of Oklahoma.

Many knew of his love for Oklahoma State University but, few people know that after high school in the Fall of 1954 Harold began college at The University of Oklahoma. He attended there one semester and absolutely hated it. Therefore, in January 1955 he transferred to then Oklahoma A&M which later changed to Oklahoma State University in 1956. During his time at OSU he was a member of the Lamba Chi Alpha Fraternity. Majoring in Education, he joined the men’s glee club where he soon became the lead soloist. The Glee club traveled all over the country where Harold sang many solos, most notably he sang Wimoweh (The Lion Sleeps Tonight) for President Eisenhower in 1957 at the Municipal Auditorium in Oklahoma City, OK.

While at Oklahoma State in the Spring of 1956 he met Betty Marie Hileman. The Couple dated for the rest of their college years. Harold Vic graduated from OSU in December 1958 and got his first teaching job at Cushing High School where he stayed one semester until Betty graduated in May of 1959. The two were married on August 8th, 1959 in Betty’s Hometown of Covington, OK and both landed jobs teaching in the Oklahoma City Public School District.

Harold taught History at Harding High School from 1959-1968 where he was an Assistant Football and Tennis Coach and then at John Marshall High School from 1968-1972. His Tennis Team was State Runner-up in 1962 at Harding. All through College and during the years in Oklahoma City Harold Vic would return to Helena in the summers and farm with his Dad. They spent many summers custom cutting wheat in Kansas. These are memories he loved to talk about because he was with his dad whom he much admired. During those years, Betty and Harold had two sons. Michael Todd was born on June 13th, 1967 and Brian Scott was born on April 10th, 1971. Harold never liked the fact that he had to move so often as a child and vowed to provide stability for his sons. In 1972 with Todd at 5 years old and Brian at 1, He and Betty got teaching Jobs at the Helena State Training School and moved to Helena near the farms and Harold Sr. and Emma Jane and made Helena their home. Harold lived in Helena from 1972 until Betty’s passing in 2021. While in Helena Harold taught at the Training School, Ames Public Schools and Carrier Schools until his retirement in 1988. Harold farmed with his Dad until his passing in 1979 and then carried on farming throughout his life with his eldest son Michael Todd and Grandson Mark Todd. Harold Vic served in many political roles including 14 years on the Helena town board (1973-75), (1987-1995), (2005-2009), 18 years (2001-2019) on the Alfalfa County Excise Board and a stint on the Oklahoma State University Alumni Board of Directors. He was instrumental in improving the city of Helena by strongly advocating to get the streets paved, adding street signs, streetlights, and getting a trash service in the early to mid-1970s. He also, later helped Helena become a certified Oklahoma City.

Harold Vic was a morally conservative Democrat who believed strongly in marriage, family and the Lord Jesus Christ, yet he was a fiscally progressive Democrat until his later years. He was a member of the Masons and believed in old school morals and methods but at the same time he believed in taking the necessary progressive steps to develop and improve items that made life easier and better. The Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Methodist Church were staples in his life. Harold loved meeting people and had a knack for making those he visited with feel like they were important. He was enthusiastic about life and always happy to have a conversation with anyone, even a total stranger. Harold and Betty were very proud of their sons, Todd and Brian, and their families. He loved football and really enjoyed watching his sons and grandsons play the game. He enjoyed the high school games and had fond memories of traveling to his son Brian’s college games at Southwestern with his cousin Don Mark and Jeanne Welch.

In December of 2021 after Betty’s death Harold Vic moved to Lake Jackson, TX to be near his son Brian and his family. It was there he met a special friend, Faye Stroud who brought him much happiness in his final years. Harold Vic was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years Betty Marie Welch, his Mother and Father Harold Edward and Emma Jane Welch, and his Grandson Briggs Griffin Welch. He is survived by his Son Michael Todd Welch and Wife Linda of Helena, Ok. Son Brian Scott Welch and wife Katelyn of Lake Jackson, TX. Grandsons Brandon Welch, Braxton Welch and Brewer Welch of Lake Jackson, TX, Mark Todd Welch of Helena, OK and Granddaughter Bradlee Welch of Lake Jackson, TX. Also, his sister El Nora (Welch) Thompson of Anadarko, OK and nephew Mark Thompson of Tulsa, OK.

Graveside service for Harold will be Saturday, December 21, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. at Good Hope Cemetery south of Helena. Arrangements are by Lanman Funeral Home Inc. of Helena. www.lanmanfuneralhome.com Facebook: Lanman Funeral Home Inc.

In lieu of lowers our family would prefer donations go to the Thatcher Strong Fund at Gateway First Bank in Helena, OK. Donations to: Gateway First Bank, P.O. Box 257 Helena, Ok 73741 or call 580-852-3241