Burton Welmers

With a life that spanned times of war and times of peace, times of plenty and times of want, Burton Welmers lived a life of purpose each day. He was never one to worry about building wealth or accumulating possessions, rather, he made it his focus to spend as much time as he could with the ones he loved. Burton was an honorable person of integrity who knew what it meant to work hard in everything he did. He was an extraordinary man who will be dearly missed while his memory is forever cherished. It was great to be an American during the decade that is often remembered as the Roaring Twenties. More affordable cars allowed us to go places with greater ease while road construction was exploding to meet the demand. Radios were becoming a way of life, and baseball legends Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth dominated names in sports. It was during this colorful time that a young couple from Jackson, Michigan, was anticipating the arrival of their new baby as the heat of the summer set in during early August in 1922. Their wait was over on August 4th when the baby boy they named Burton Anthony made his arrival. He was the middle of five children born to his parents, Gerrit and Hazel (Cole) Welmers, and was raised alongside his two sisters, Evelyn and Barb, and his two brothers, Gerrit and Winthrop. For the most part Burton experienced an upbringing that was fairly common for the youth of his generation. His father worked for Consumers Power while his mother was a busy homemaker. When he was around five yeas old, Burton moved from Jackson to a home on Worden Street in downtown Grand Rapids with his family. He loved going fishing with his father and looked forward to visiting his grandmothers house in Spring Lake. Burton attended schools through local Grand Rapids schools and went on to graduate from South High School in 1940. Shortly thereafter, he began working as a welder. The landscape of our nation was forever changed with the vicious attack on our naval base in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The very next day President Franklin D. Roosevelt was left with no choice but to declare war, engaging in WWII. Burton joined those who were called to serve when he enlisted in the United States Army in 1943. He was sent to Burma where he worked with the Army Corps of Engineers. For the rest of Burtons life the time he spent serving during the war made a lasting impression. With his military duties fulfilled, Burton returned to Grand Rapids where he settled into a job with Consumers Power. He worked there as a regional maintenance man and machinist throughout his career that spanned nearly 40 years. Burtons work took him all over the state including to The Big Rock and Palisades Nuclear Plant as well as to work on the construction of the Ludington Pump Storage facility. He retired in 1985. While he was busy establishing a career, Burton met Shirley Miller not long after returning from WWII. After dating for a time they found themselves in love and were married. Together they were blessed with their son, Burton Jr., in 1947. Although their marriage ended in divorce after a few years, Burton was forever grateful for the son they shared. Changes were in the horizon a bit later when Burton met a single mother named Marjorie Dearmond. They later married, and Burton adopted her son, Robert. Together they welcomed two additional sons into their hearts and home, Randall in 1957 and Lance in 1961. The family home was in Wyoming, and for a time they also owned a cottage on a lake near Cedar Springs, which provided the backdrop for countless fun-filled experiences during the summer months. Burton and Marjories marriage ended in divorce in the mid-seventies. A woman named Marilyn later captured Burtons heart, and they were married soon after. They spent the next 25 years together. For a while they owned a summer place on Bass Lake, and they eventually moved to Florida for a few years after Burt retired. Sadly, Marilyn developed Alzheimers disease, which brought an end to the marriage. Throughout his life Burton was a man of many interests. He was a longtime member of the Doric Masonic Lodge in Grand Rapids where he became a 33rd degree mason. Burton enjoyed spending time there with his buddies. Burton had an extensive coin collection, and he was also a master of jigsaw puzzles. Over the years he completed hundred of puzzles, several of which he laminated and displayed on his walls. Later in life Burton moved in with his sister, Evelyn, and together they helped care for one another. He broke his hip in 2007, and shortly thereafter he and his sister moved to Oakcrest Health Care Facility in Jenison. Both Burton and Evelyn fit right in there and made several new friends. Burton liked participating in various activities and also took part in weekly Bible studies. He looked forward to frequent visits from his children and liked going out for meals and taking drives. Over time Burtons health declined. A man of sound moral principles and steadfast character, Burton Welmers lived a rich and rewarding life. He devoted himself to whatever task was at hand, and his love for his family was easy to see. Burton will never be forgotten. Burton A. Welmers, Sr. died on Sunday, January 26, 2014. Burtons family includes his sons, Burton "Tony" (Bernadette) Welmers, Jr. of Wayland, Robert (Beverly) Welmers of FL, Lance (Sue) Welmers of Grand Haven; 9 grandchildren; numerous great grandchildren; former spouse, Shirley Mathews. Burton was preceded in death by his son, Randall. A memorial gathering will be held on Thursday, January 30, 2014, 1:00-3:00 p.m. at the Clock Chapel-Grand Haven with Military Honors at 2:30 by the Grand Haven VFW Post 2326. Please visit www.clockfuneralhome.com to leave a memory or sign the online guest book.