Henry Abbott Welch Jr.

The Dyersburg News

Feb-6-2008

One Of City's First Two Black Police Officers Dies

One of Dyersburg's first black police officers died on Saturday. Henry Abbott Welch Jr., is remembered as "a wonderful young man," by classmate and fellow officer Jessie Kirk. Welch a graduate of the Bruce High School class of 1959 was chosen with Kirk as the city's first two black patrol officers. The two were lifelong friends, having played football together on the winning Bruce team before applying to the police department. The pair was hired on July 1, 1964. Welch's aunt Cleopatra Gueary said her nephew led a fine life, helping his mother and father when the family moved to Chicago.

"He was a real nice person" said Gueary. Welch 66, died at Dyersburg Regional Medical Center on January 26, 2008.

Funeral services are scheduled with Cosmopolitan Funeral Home with visitation at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home parlor. The Rev. Stanly Montgomery is to officiate the service immediately following visitation.

Survivors include three daughters, Tanya Sherill and Wanda Chatman of Lynnwood, Ill and Loraine Hudson of Lansing, Mich., a stepfather, Willis D. Williams Sr. of Toledo,Ohio, two sisters, Connie L. Nixon, of York, Pa., and Ileen Stokley Wynn, of Dyersburg, two aunts, Mary L. Hopson of  St. Louis, Mo. and Cleopatra Gueary of Dyersburg, four grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry A. Welch Sr. and Ina Belle Welch Williams.