Uncle Michael

My uncle Michael passed away on August 6th. I wrote in my journal the following day about how strange it seems that I will never see him again in this life. Death seems so permanent to us mortals, but I'm so glad it's not. It is such a blessing and comfort to know that we will be with our families again after this life. I spent a week plus bursting into tears every time I thought about how he was gone... just gone forever from my life, and if I think about it now, I still tear up. It was interesting how even at the dinner following the services, Michael was already missed. My mom doesn't have an ice maker at our house, so it was Michael's job to bring a large zip-lock back of ice to all of our Sunday dinners and other family events. He wasn't there to bring the ice, so someone had to go out and buy ice last minute. It's things like that, just the little things that make you realize just how integrated your lives were. I keep thinking that someone's birthday is coming up... it's his. This is really only the second encounter that I've had with the death of someone that I was extremely close to. I know as the years pass, many friends and loved ones will go on. It seems to me that the older you get, the less scary death might be because many of your friends and family members have gone before and will be there awaiting your arrival on the other side. One of my mom's friends gave her this poem which I really like:

Gone From My Sight

I am standing upon the seashore.
A ship at my side spreads her white
sails to the morning breeze and starts
for the blue ocean. 

She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until at length
she hangs like a speck of white cloud
just where the sea and sky come
to mingle with each other.

Then, someone at my side says;
"There, she is gone!"

"Gone where?"
Gone from my sight. That is all.
She is just as large in mast and hull
and spar as she was when she left my side
and she is just as able to bear her
load of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her.

And just at the moment when someone
at my side says, "There, she is gone!"
There are other eyes watching her coming,
and other voices ready to take up the glad
shout;
"Here she comes!"
And that is dying.

by Henry Van Dyke 

Michael will be missed for more than just his ice cubes. He made us laugh... hard. He was such a tease and had the best belly laugh. He knew all and could do all. I swear that he was magic. Anything that was broken could be fixed. If you needed your basement framed, he had all the tools and know how to get the job done. He was always so generous. I remember one year for Christmas, he gave me this HUGE make-up kit. I loved it. We still have some of it laying around. He was always giving us his old computers, printers and scanners which weren't really old, he just got something brand new, so we inherited his year old techie stuff. I'll miss him at every Christmas and birthday party we have and every Sunday in between. Our home and lives will seem empty without him, but I know his parents and brother waiting on the other side will feel so happy to see him again. We love you, Michael!!

Michael V. Welch

1942~2011

Beloved father, brother uncle and friend, Michael Van Welch, passed away on August 6, 2011 in Salt Lake City, Utah from complications of diabetes. He was born in Salt Lake City on September 1, 1942 to Evard Van Welch and Louise Pia Welch. He was the eldest of four children. At age 6 his family moved to Elko, Nevada. He graduated from Elko High School in 1960 and returned to Utah in 1961. Following a year of college, he was drafted into the Marine Corps, later being honorably discharged. After the Marine Corps, he fulfilled a childhood dream by becoming a police officer for Salt Lake City Police Department. During his career in the police force he served in a number of capacities, including: undercover, patrol, motorcycle squad, downtown foot patrol and as a detective. In 2002, after thirty years of service, he retired. After retirement, he worked part time for the SLPD for 8 years. His passion was cars and motorcycles. We never knew what he would be driving, switching to a new favorite every few months. No vehicle was ever better cared for than his. Over the years he dabbled in woodworking, ham radio, photography and computers. He loved science and history, especially WWII. The History and Discovery Channels seemed to be created just for him. Mike was preceded in death by his brother (Greg) and parents. He is survived by his son, Greg Welch (Kimberly), grandchild Gabrielle; two sisters; Angela Welch Mecham (Stephen); Kathryn Welch Ross (Timothy), and their families. We will miss his teasing, loving concern and help. Funeral services will be held on Friday, August 12th, 2011 at Evans and Early Mortuary, 574 East 100 South, SLC at 2:00 p.m. Friends may visit with the family at an evening viewing from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday August 11th at Evans and Early and again one hour prior to services. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.evans-earlymortuary.com. Salt Lake City, UT.