ROY WELTER obituary

PLENTYWOOD - Roy Welter, 61, of Plentywood died just before noon Saturday, Feb. 25, 2006, at Sheridan Memorial Nursing Home.

A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Fulkerson Memorial Chapel in Plentywood, with interment of cremated remains in Plentywood Cemetery to be held at a later date.

Roy was born in Plentywood on Oct. 22, 1944, to Tom and Marge (Murphy) Welter. After graduation from Plentywood High School in 1962, Roy enlisted in the Montana National Guard. After his basic training at Fort Ord, Calif., he returned to Plentywood, where he worked as a mechanic.

After he was injured in a workplace accident, Roy started work as a parts man for the Plentywood NAPA store. He later became manager of the NAPA store in Watford City, N.D. After working for the Pep Boys parts chain in Phoenix, he worked for his brother-in-law there until he returned to Plentywood in the spring of 1982. Since then, he worked part time for John's Bar until failing health led to retirement.

Roy was fiercely independent and lived his life in his own way, at his own pace. He was always uncomfortable in groups of people. He often said, “I'm not going to let anyone tell me how to live.” He loved to take his old van and a six-pack to spend endless hours fishing by himself. He said he was happiest being “just an old hermit out fishing.”

He was preceded in death by his father, Tom Welter, in 1982; and mother, Marge Welter, in 2002.

Survivors include his brothers, Jim (Delores) Welter of Havre and Jay Welter of Plentywood; sisters, Joyce Degasis of Phoenix and Jean Frigstad of Fosston, Minn.; and his uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews and nieces.

Fulkerson Funeral Home of Plentywood has charge of arrangements.