Thomas Welsh

Thomas E. Welsh

Age 66 of Wilmington, passed away peacefully Thursday evening July 3, 2014 at Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee, following a dignified battle with ALS.

Born October 16, 1947 in Morris, Thomas Edward was a son of the late William, Sr. and Charlotte (Dare) Welsh. He was raised in Custer Park, where he attended Custer grade school and graduated from high school in Braidwood with the Class of 1965. Tom honorably served in the United States Army during the Vietnam Era, where he was a recipient of the Purple Heart. On June 19, 1976, Tom married Sandra Nicol in St. Rose Catholic Church, and together they made their home and raised their family in Wilmington. Tom's employment included working at Hickory Creek Supermarket for 15 years; he owned and operated Wilmington Cleaners for 25 years and retired in 2009 from Mobil after 27 years of service. He was a member of St. Rose Catholic Church, the American Legion, Wilmington Moose Lodge, Braidwood Recreation Club, and the Arbor Association. Tom was a past board member of St. Rose School, and belonged to the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, Retailers and Clerks Association and the Dry Cleaners Association.

Survivors include his wife of 38 years Sandy; three children: John Welsh, David (Kelli) Welsh and Katelyn Welsh; his father-in-law and mother-in-law: Jack and Doris Nicol; brother William, Jr. (Brenda) Welsh; sister Bonnie (Bill) Tenn and sister-in-law Barb (Doug) Rink, all of Wilmington; nieces and nephews: Calvin and Jordan Rink, Melissa Bianchini, William "Bopper" Welsh and William and Steven Tenn, as well as his dear friend Becky Robertson.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents.

Visitation and video tribute will be held on Friday July 11, 2014 between the hours of 3:00PM and 8:00PM and again Saturday July 12th from 9:30AM until 10:30AM at Baskerville Funeral Home, 700 East Kahler Road in Wilmington. Funeral services will follow Saturday at 11:00AM in Saint Rose Catholic Church, 604 South Kankakee Street in Wilmington, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated with Rev. John Hornicak and Rev. Steve Bondi officiating.

A private family burial with full military honors will be in Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, Elwood.

Pallbearers will be David Crosman, Chuck Bailey, Roger Daniell, Leo Van Duyne, Wayne Erdmann, Calvin Rink and William Welsh, III.

Preferred memorials may be made as gifts in Tom's memory to Kuzma Care Cottage, 635 S. Main Street, Wilmington, IL 60481, The Arbor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Avenue, Nebraska City, NE 68410 or to Unity Hospice, 700 S. Clinton Street, Suite 210, Chicago, IL 60607.

Friends may sign the online guest book or send private condolences to the family by logging onto: www.BaskervilleFuneral.com

Funeral services and arrangements have been made under the direction and care of Baskerville Funeral Home in Wilmington. (815/476-2181)