Obituary of Charles F. Welek

CHARLES F. WELEK, III was born on July 4, 1924, in St. Louis, Missouri to Charles F. Welek, II and Margaret Bothmann Welek. He is survived by his second wife, Ginny, (Virginia R. Smith) of Lake Ozark, MO and three sisters: Marge Welek Murphy and husband, Bob Murphy of St. Louis, MO; Betty Welek Tracy of St. Louis, MO; and Mary Welek Atwell of Roanoke, VA. He is also survived by seven children: Charles F. Welek, IV and wife, Diane Lemcke Welek of Lake Ozark, MO; Mary Welek McBride and husband Kevin Mc Bride of Roswell, GA; Pattie Welek Hall of Charleston, SC; Rita Welek Kloster of Hillsboro, MO; Geri Welek Schary and husband, Jeb Schary of Dallas, TX; John Welek and wife, Fran McGuire Welek of Columbia, MO; and Margie Fagan Welek of Overland Park, KS. as well as by 25 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. After graduating from St. Louis University High School as Valedictorian of his class in 1942, he joined the Naval Program and was commissioned in 1943. He then served in the Pacific theater as a Lieutenant and Commander of an LCT and was honorably discharged from the US Navy in 1946 after spending one year in Japan during the occupation. Returning to St. Louis, he spent 18 years as President of Welek Fabrics, a third-generation business founded by his grandfather in 1896. In 1970 he moved his family to the Lake of the Ozarks after starting Welek Realty which he ran until 1990. During his real estate career at The Lake, he was involved in numerous developments including Black Hawk Estates and Arrowhead Estates. He was also Harold Koplar�s first Sales Manager for his Four Seasons land development company. In 1990 he moved to Naples, Florida, where he opened Welek Realty of Naples which he operated until he moved back to the Lake of the Ozarks in 2005. A man of many talents, a strong mind, determined spirit, wonderful sense of humor and warm and cheerful personality, he will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved him.