Calvin Lee Welch

Calvin Lee Welch

Chapel Hill Funeral Home

Calvin "Lee" Welch was born on May 21, 1928, at the old Willie Smith place tem miles west of Cedarvale, New Mexico. Raised on a farm, Lee was one of ten children born to Nestor Clinton and Emma Welch. He graduated from high school at the age of 15 and attended a local college on a full scholarship. Lee later transferred to Pasadena Nazarene College where he met his "forever" sweetheart, Pauline Vonetta Wood.

Lee and Pauline were married on September 5, 1947, in Pasadena, California at Bresee avenue Church of the Nazarene. Lee worked for ten years as the produce manager of a Market Basket in Pasadena. It was during this time that Lee and Pauline celebrated the births of their three children; Pamela Sue, Ronald Lee and Donald Wayne. Lee and Pauline moved 200 miles north to San Luis Obispo, California in 1957. Lee pursued his MA in education at California Polytechnic State University ("Cal Poly") in order to fulfill his passion to teach. There, he began his teaching career at Morro Bay High School as a math teacher.

While working on his doctorate in Mathematics, he accepted a teaching position at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, California. He was awarded his PHD in Mathematics in 1974 from Idaho State University. Lee, along colleague and long-time friend Gil Peter, were approached about creating new math textbooks for college level students. Thus, Lee began the tedious process of writing college math textbooks, associated student workbooks and teacher editions, some of which are still in use today. Lee loved education and the process of helping others learn. He established a mathematics tutoring lab where he spent much of his free time helping individual college students achieve their goals in mathematics.

Lee was active in his local church, community and neighborhood. Lee loved God and was an avid student of the Bible. He was devoted to his wife Pauline and family. He was a godly role model to his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. HE served in leadership positions on many educational and church committees. He was actively involved in the California Teachers Association. As a member of the San Luis Obispo Church of the Nazarene, he served on the Board, on countless committees, as Church Treasurer and as an adult Sunday school teacher for thirty-five years. Retirement allowed Lee and Pauline the freedom to move closer to family in Oklahoma in 1994. He and Pauline joined a local Baptist Church where he continued teaching an adult Sunday school class and was ordained as a Deacon. He enjoyed quality time with family, grandchildren and friends for twenty-three years.

Calvin Lee Welch departed this earthly journey at 5:55 am on May 23, 2016 and joined many friends and family members celebrating eternal life with God, His Son and Lee's Savior Jesus Christ and all of the Heavenly Hosts. It just doesn't get any better than that. Lee is survived by his wife Pauline of nearly 68 years; one daughter, Pam (Welch) Eggleston and her husband Verle of Yukon, OK; two sons, Ronald Lee Welch and Theresa Flanigan (like a daughter-in-law) of Dallas, Texas, and Donald Wayne Welch and his wife Robin of Coronado, CA; five grandchildren, Sherry Lee Bowman and her husband Matt Bowman of OKC, OK, Lisa Lynn Wood of Edmond, OK, Ronald Lee Welch, Jr. of Bozeman, MT, Savannah Colene Welch of Coronado, CA, and Daniel Wayne Welch of Coronado, CA; three great grandchildren, Kylee Ray Bowman of Branson, MO, Kaelynn Sue Bowman of OKC, OK, and Aidan Allen Wood of Edmond, OK; two brothers, Matt Welch and Lonnie Welch; three sisters, Ruth Campbell, Ida Mae Dawson and Minnie Topliff; multiple nieces, nephews and cousins.