William J. “Bill” Welsh Jr. 76, died March 28 at his home in Great Bend. Born Jan. 19, 1936, at Great Bend, he was the son of William John and Catherine Frances (Befort) Welsh, Sr. He married Mary Agnes Schneweis on May 14, 1960, at Great Bend. She died April 10, 1989. He married Karen A. (Torline) Shore on March 5, 1996, at Las Vegas, Nev. A lifetime Great Bend resident, he was a farmer.
Mr. Welsh was a U.S. Army veteran.  
He was a member of Prince of Peace Parish in Great Bend. He attended First Congregational United Church of Christ.
Survivors include his wife, of the home; two daughters, Debbie A. Cape and her husband Amos of Goddard, and Connie S. Russell and her husband Ron of Wichita; three sisters, Fritzi Smith of Great Bend, Rosann Safranek of Limon, Colo., and Ellen Safranek of Limon, Colo.; three brothers, Terence Welsh of Santa Rosa, Calif., Thomas Welsh of Estero, Fla., and Kevin Welsh of Avondale, Ariz.; one stepson, Scott Shore of Independence; three stepdaughters: Stephanie Armato of Grandview, Mo., Janet Flack of Belton, Mo., and Lisa Garza of Kansas City, Kan.; four grandchildren: Derrick Cape, Kayla Cape, Jennifer Russell, and Kristin Russell; two step-grandchildren, Josh Cape and Laurie Kurtz; and three step-great-granddaughters. He was preceded in death by one brother, James C. Welsh.
Rosary will be at 7 p.m., Friday, March 30, at Bryant Funeral Home. Memorial service will be at 11 a.m., Saturday, March 31, 2012 at Bryant Funeral Home with the Rev. Stan Crawford officiating. Interment will be at Great Bend Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Memorial donations to the American Cancer Society or Golden Belt Home Health and Hospice may be made in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home*
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, March 29, 2012