Roman Welter

Roman Welter

Monticello

Roman Welter passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on July 9, 2023, at the Rehabilitation Center of Lisbon in Lisbon, Iowa. A celebration of life will be held on Sept. 9, 2023, at the Veteran’s Hall in Monticello from noon to 3 p.m. Please visit Goettschonline.com to share your thoughts, memories & condolences with Roman’s family.

Roman was born Oct. 1, 1927, to Herman and Elizabeth (Knapp) Welter in South Fork Township, Delaware County, Iowa. He grew up on a farm with two brothers and three sisters. He graduated from Monticello High School in 1944. He served in the Korean War from 1951-52. Roman was grateful for the typing class he had in high school which enabled him to become a company clerk in the Army instead of hauling ammunition. Upon returning from Korea, he was married to Rosemary Supple at St. Luke’s Catholic Church in Hopkinton on April 5, 1952. He became the manager of the Hopkinton Creamery and enjoyed a long career in agricultural co-op management, retiring from Swiss Valley Ag Service. After retirement, he was chosen to travel to Russia and Moldova to help implement agricultural co-ops in these countries. He devoted his time planting and maintaining thousands of hardwood trees on his Monticello farm, which were bequeathed to the Monticello Educational Foundation by Roman and Rosemary. His community service also included Lion’s Club, Monticello School Foundation, Sacred Heart Parish & School, Maquoketa Valley Dollar for Scholars, an endowment fund for UnityPoint Health-Jones Regional Medical Center, Monticello Animal Welfare Friends, Camp Courageous, Iowa Barn Foundation, Hopkinton American Legion, and Hopkinton Volunteer Fire Department. Roman enjoyed playing baseball, hunting with his dogs and golfing. In addition, he enjoyed playing cards, traveling to visit his children throughout the U.S., going to Korean War Army reunions, and attending Iowa Hawkeye football games. To celebrate his 77th birthday, he proudly went skydiving with his son, Marty.

Roman is remembered by his sister Bonnie Sonsken of Carroll, Iowa, and his seven children, Michael (Donna) of Coralville, Iowa, Maureen (Carroll Smith) of Hillsboro, Ore.,, Marcia (Chuck Gheldof) of Osprey, Fla., Melinda (Randy Pyde) of Itasca, Ill., Mary Welter of Indianapolis, Ind., Marty (Michelle) of Sedona, Ariz., and Melissa McLaughlin of St. Paul, Minn.; his seven grandchildren, Ross Welter, Kimberly Welter (Eric), Jolene Lechowicz (Phil), Margaret (Shayne) Shupe, Robert and Elizabeth Pyde and Neil McLaughlin; and five great-grandchildren and his beloved dog Benji.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Rosemary; his parents and stepmother, Millie; siblings and in-laws Herman, Welter Jr. (Veronica), Bill Welter (Monica), Margaret Artz (Gene), Helen Green (Bob), Marcus Supple (Doris) and Clair “Whitey” Supple, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Roman wanted to be remembered by this quote: “There are two kinds of people, those who take more than they give and those who give more than they take. When I leave this earth, I hope people will say the latter about me.” The family is grateful for the loving care provided by the staff of Pennington Square Assisted Living, the Rehabilitation Center of Lisbon, and the hospice staff of Above and Beyond and St. Croix Hospice. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Monticello School Foundation, Camp Courageous of Iowa, Monticello Animal Welfare Friends & Jones Regional Medical Center educational endowment fund.