John "Jack" Wiley Welch

John “Jack” Wiley Welch, 93, went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus on Saturday morning, May 14, 2022, at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse. He was only there minutes before passing away from congestive heart failure. He lived at home until that morning with his loving wife of 63 years, Jann Deen (Witt) Welch. He was born in La Crosse June 29, 1928 to Ralph O. Welch and Dorothy “Tessie” Welch of La Crescent, MN. Two children were born to Ralph and Tessie, Jack and his sister Cynthia, who died at age 42 in 1975.

Jack was a lifelong resident of La Crescent, as was his father Ralph O. Welch, and his grandfather, John Wiley Welch, who was a banker and well driller in La Crescent in the late 1800’s. His grandfather was the founder and first president of La Crescent State Bank, now Merchants Bank. When asked why Jack never left La Crescent, he quipped, “Because I never made enough money to get out of town.” Jack grew up on a fruit farm in La Crescent that eventually became Welshire Drive, the place where he raised his family.

Jack attended grade school at the old schoolhouse in La Crescent, middle school at Longfellow to which he rode his bicycle from La Crescent. (Uphill both ways.) He graduated in 1946 from Central High School in La Crosse, WI. Jack then attended UW-La Crosse and graduated with a Meteorology degree. Then Jack began his working career in the lab with TRANE, Co., inventing a machine that replaced his job there. He was an innovator and entrepreneur all of his life.

Before launching his own business, Jack served during the Korean Conflict in the Headquarters Battalion of the 11 ^th Airborne for the US Army. His basic training was in Fort Riley, Kansas and then was trained to be a paratrooper and mortar specialist at Fort Campbell, Ky. While stationed there, Jack earned his paratrooper wings and sharp shooter recognition.

In 1957, Jack married Jann Deen Witt and settled down in La Crescent.

In 1959, Jack and his dad, Ralph bought a piece of land in La Crescent and started CBS Homes, purely on faith. They didn’t really have the investment capital to start a business, know much about running a lumber yard or starting a component manufacturing plant from scratch. They started Consolidated Builders Supply, CBS Homes, Crescent Building Products, co-founded Wright Homes and several other businesses who employed over 100 employees. At it’s peak, CBS Homes was building three houses a day in seven states. CBS Homes was runner up for Business of the Year in 1978, behind Totino’s Pizza. Thank you to all of you who were employees, customers, partners and suppliers.

Jack was a National Spike member of the National Association of Homebuilders, Past-President of the NAHB, La Crosse, listed in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World. Jack was the former man of the year in the city of La Crescent, a driving force behind the La Crescent public pool, a former Apple Fest President, and held other civic and professional board positions.

Jack retired from home building at age 70, then purchased and operated 120 apartment units at age 75, wrote an autobiography entitled “Up From Ashes” at age 86, was a life-long inventor and patent holder at age 92.

He was a husband of almost 64 years, a father of three, grandfather of 9, and a great grandfather of 7, with one more on the way. His survivors include his immediate family, his wife, Jann Deen Welch, the love of his life; his two sons and their families, Brent and James Welch; his daughter and her family, Kendra Sopher; and his sister’s boys and their families, Kevin and Jon Good.

Jack was a former elder at Bethany Church and worshiped there since 1972. He’s very grateful for being part of the body of Christ represented at Bethany. Most of his closest friends whom he loved were from the church. He always made time to stop and talk with his family, friends and neighbors along his life’s journey. Jack understood that a very valuable currency in communication is humor. His life was full of funny stories like the one about his dad using dynamite to “loosen up” their septic system.

Jack was truly rich with children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren. His legacy of faith, family, laughter and fun, dogged-determination and ruthless-persistence will endure! Jack and Jann enjoyed hosting family and friends on their houseboat called the “New Life”. Jack enjoyed making his famous “Daddy Jack’s Hot Fudge topping”, with popcorn, while he told stories with lots of laughs. Jack also enjoyed golfing with family and friends.

Although he grew up in a Christian home, he didn’t have a personal and vibrant relationship with his Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, until he was in his 30s. He and his wife and children, experienced being “born again” about the same time, not just of water but by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said, “You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:7-8, 16 NIV

“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

1 John 5:11-12 NIV

Today, Jack has a new, transfigured body and soul, spirit and mind. He is with God in heaven, joining the angelic host surrounding the throne of God in worship and praise. He is now experiencing perfect peace and love in its purest form.

St. Augustine observed, “To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement.” What romance, adventure, and achievement will you seek today?

In the last weeks before he died, he would recite Joshua 1:9; “be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

A celebration of life will be held at Bethany Church on County Road B in La Crosse, WI at 3:00pm on Saturday, June 11 ^th . Visitation will be from 1:00pm – 3:00pm, before the service. Burial will be at the La Crescent Cemetery following the 4:15pm refreshments. Burial with military honors provided by the Gittens-Leidel American Legion Post 595.