Walter D. ("Gus") Welsh

Walter D. Welsh (“Gus”) passed away peacefully at home at the age of 89 surrounded by his children on Sunday, December 17, 2023.

He was the son of Walter and Helen Welsh and had several jobs as a young man; delivering newspapers, mowing grass at the Methodist church, setting up duckpins at the bowling alley, and working for Mr. Topper in the grocery store. He was a 1952 graduate of Mount Airy High School and looked forward to the Annual High School reunion gatherings.

He attended Western Maryland College, and then enlisted and served in the US Army Security Agency from 1954-1957. After his Army service he met and fell in love with Sonya Triplett, marrying in 1959. Their marriage lasted 62 years, ending with Sonya’s passing in 2022.

While his family grew, with the birth of Kevin (1962), Kelly (1964) and Sherry (1968), Gus applied himself academically and professionally, completing his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Baltimore College of Commerce in 1964.

During his career, Gus served in a number of Finance and Accounting roles, employed by National Airlines, Peoples Life Insurance, Shell Oil Company, Black and Decker, Provident Hospital and the University of Maryland Medical System, from which he retired as Payroll Department Manager in 1996.

Gus was an avid fan of the Baltimore Orioles. He was known for his generosity whenever a friend or family member needed help. He loved his children and had a special fondness for his three grandchildren. When the grandchildren were young, he made frequent trips to visit as they played in the backyard of their nearby home. He was a constant shining star in their lives.

He was somewhat of a historian of his beloved Mount Airy. He knew of most of the goings-on of the town’s families, their cars, their pets, the year they graduated, their marriages.

In days gone by when he was still driving, he made frequent trips to Mount Airy to catch up with the news from the regular morning crowd that met at McDonalds. While there, he loved to visit his beloved Aunt Mary Fleming and purchase meats from Wagner’s Mount Airy Locker Plant. He will be missed beyond words.

Gus is survived by his three children: Kevin Welsh, Kelly (Welsh) Sweatman and Sherry (Welsh) Burns; and 3 grandchildren: Molly Burns, Hannah Burns and Army Specialist Henry Burns.

In addition to his wife Sonya, he was preceded in death by his siblings Thomas Welsh and Martha (Welsh) Hensley and his Aunt Mary (Welsh) Fleming.

There will be a celebration of life gathering from 11:00 AM to Noon, followed by funeral service at Noon on Saturday, January 6, 2024 at Stauffer Funeral Home, 8 Ridgeville Blvd., Mount Airy, MD 21771. Interment will be private.

**PLEASE NOTE*** DUE TO THE PENDING SNOW STORM THE FAMILY WILL BE RESCHEDULING THE CELEBRATION OF LIFE GATHERING FROM 11:00AM TO NOON, FOLLOWED BY FUNERAL SERVICE AT NOON ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 13, 2024 AT STAUFFER FUNERAL HOME, 8 EAST RIDGEVILLE BLVD., MOUNT AIRY, MD 21771.  INTERMENT WILL BE PRIVATE.