Donald Lee Welch

Donald Lee Welch, 88, passed away peacefully of natural causes on October 27, 2024, surrounded by family members. Don was born in Hamilton, MT, on December 8, 1935, to Eva Lucinda Dye and Thomas Dewey Welch. He was a fourth generation Montanan. The great grandson of George Tolson Dye, an early Bitterroot Valley resident, Don’s roots in the valley ran deep.

He graduated from Hamilton High School in 1953, where he lettered in track and field, participated in the drama club and performed in high school plays. Don loved baseball and played from boyhood through his early twenties, playing town team baseball for Hamilton. He was a standout pitcher and mastered throwing a knuckleball few could hit.

Don met his wife, Mable Spracklin, at a valley dance. The two began dating and were married in 1957. Their marriage was later solemnized in 1969 in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple. Mable was the joy of Don’s life, and they celebrated 52 years of marriage before she passed away from breast cancer. Don and Mable had five children, four daughters and a son. Don worked for 32 years for the United States Postal Service until his retirement in 1990. After retirement, he served for several years as a member of Hamilton’s zoning commission.

With a love for fast cars, he was proud of the Model T Roadster he customized and worked on as a young man. A growing family necessitated him to sell his Roadster, but his skills as a mechanic continued to grow. He did his own mechanical work, including overhauling the family’s car engines and rebuilding their transmissions, when necessary, often in the winter when the temperature in his garage reached zero degrees.

A master craftsman, the pinnacle of Don’s creations was a sailboat he built for his family to enjoy. The boat was a cabin cruiser that slept four. The family’s primary recreation during summers was sailing at Como Lake and occasionally Flathead Lake. The boat was flawlessly built with perfectly feathered joints and mahogany trim. It attracted attention every time the family launched it in the water.

At age six, Don started playing the piano. He loved playing Dixieland and Ragtime Jazz, especially Scott Joplin compositions, and played with several groups from his twenties into his late eighties. Don enjoyed playing Saturday afternoons at the Hamilton House with many musicians he played with throughout his life. He was a founding member of the Bitterroot Valley Ragtime Society.

Don enjoyed distance running and could be seen out jogging from the 1970s until he was nearly 70 years old. He competed in dozens of 5K and 10K races. He enjoyed skiing and for decades went to Lost Trail Ski Area each season with friends. Don enjoyed going off-piste to Moose Creek and bombing the chutes. He was a season pass holder into his late seventies.

Don treasured his experiences hiking, hunting, skiing, motorcycling and mountain biking with his cousin, Dale Dye. Dale, a renowned recurve bowyer, encouraged Don to make custom, Flemish hand-twisted bow strings, which Don did, selling his product for more than 25 years under the brand of H.o.T Custom Bow Strings to some of the biggest names in traditional longbow and recurve bow circles. Dale and Don were like brothers and enjoyed 70 years of adventures and close friendship.

A faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Don served in many capacities including as a young men’s leader for more than 30 years.

He was a positive influence on everyone he met and made friends wherever he was. Witnessing the passing of many of his friends as he grew older took its toll on his spirits and near the end he longed to be released from this life and be reunited with his wife Mable.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, wife Mable, sister Vivian Welch Algie and granddaughter Moriah Hughes. He is survived by his children Sherri Hughes (Russell), Hamilton, MT, Cynthia Brinkerhoff (Neil), Piedmont, SD, Angela Welch, Eugene, OR, Jeffrey Welch (Jessica), Houston, TX, and Amy Haines (Brad), Fort Davis, TX. He has 16 grandchildren: Jasper Hughes, Berkley Hughes, Jordan Hughes, Moriah Hughes, Naomi Hughes, Ethan Brinkerhoff (Keshia), Kolton Brinkerhoff (Taylor), Erin Brinkerhoff (Josh Merkey), Bekah Rhoades (Chris), Boe Fogel (Brittany), Hope Welch, Holland Welch, Harrison Welch, Maja Haines, Ashton Haines (Yolanda) and Brynna Haines, and 16 great grandchildren.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 9:00 am in the Relief Society Room at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 401 N Eighth Street, Hamilton, MT.  Funeral services will follow at the church at 10:00 am with bishop Chris Barrow officiating. Interment will follow at Riverview Cemetery. We express gratitude to the staff of Beehive Homes and Bitterroot Health Hospice for their compassion and caregiving in Don’s final months.  Condolences may be left for the family atwww.dalyleachchapel.com.