Major Lawrence "Larry" Earl Welker

Major Lawrence (Larry) Earl Welker USMC (Ret.), 66, of Athens was called to Heaven on Saturday July 11, 2015. Visitation will be on Friday July 17, 2015 at Limestone Chapel Funeral Home at 322 Highway 31 North in Athens, AL 35611 with a Rosary at 5:30pm and visitation from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. Services will follow on Saturday July 18, 2015 at 11:00 at St Paul's Catholic Church with Father Joy officiating at 1900 Highway 72 West in Athens, AL. with burial at Roselawn Cemetery. Larry was preceded in death by his mother and father MaryAnn Scales Welker Bellamy and Vincent DePaul Welker of Columbus, Ohio, brother Daniel Welker, of Columbus, Ohio, and his beloved pets Thunder, River, and Cotton of Athens. He is survived by his wife Brenda Garner Welker, daughter Gayle LeighAnn Welker McKune, son-in-law William Scott McKune, granddaughter Eva Gayle McKune, and daughter Kathleen Diane Welker all of Athens, AL, his sister and brother, Shari Welker Carroll and Thomas Welker of Columbus, Ohio, as well as many nieces and nephews, cousins, and great nieces and nephews. Larry graduated from Bishop Ready High School in Columbus, Ohio in 1967. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in November 1967 and served 21 years. He held a Bachelor of Science degree in Systems Analysis from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. He served many duty stations during his military career including Dayton, Ohio, Fort Bening, Georgia, 29 Palms, California, Fort Monmouth, New Jersery, as well as multiple deployments overseas. He held multiple command positions including commanding officer of Recruiting Station (RS) Hartford in Hartford, Connecticut from 1984-1987, and company commander with 3rd Battalion 3rd Marines in Hawaii. He earned numerous awards and decorations throughtout his life including Eagle Scout in 1964, Navy Commendation, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, and was awarded the Legion of Merit upon his retirement from the USMC in 1988. During his civilian career he worked for defense contractors Phase IV Systems and Northrop Grumman/TASC. In his spare time he volunteered for Boy Scouts, he trained and fielded search and rescue dogs as a volunteered with NASDA and more recently the HEMSI search dog unit, and was a founding member of the National Search Dog Alliance (NSDA) and served on the board of directors. In lieu of flowers the family requests that friends honor Larry's memory with donations to the Town and Country Animal Hospital Samaritan Fund for River and Cotton. The donations can be made directly to Town and Country Animal Hospital 1642 Jefferson Street South, Athens, AL 35611. Sign our celebration wall at limestonechapel.com

Major Lawrence "Larry" Earl Welker

June 2, 1949 - July 11, 2015