William "Pete" Weldon

Generous, devout, and compassionate, Pete Weldon built his life on the solid foundation of faith and family. He devoted his life to caring for those he loved: running a newspaper route to help out his family during the Depression; raising his four children with love and compassion; serving tirelessly at St. Alphonsus; and caring for his wife in these final years as she suffered from dementia. No matter what he was doing, or for whom he was doing it. Pete’s actions were characterized by unfailing patience and kindness. He was a man who truly lived his faith, through a life of service to others. Pete’s devotion, selflessness, and integrity will live on in the hearts of all those who had the privilege of knowing him; he was deeply loved, and will be deeply missed.

William J. Weldon was the second child born to proud parents John and Hilda (Lang) Weldon. Pete, as William soon came to be called, had an older brother (James) waiting to meet him at home, and a younger brother to follow (Robert). The Weldon family lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where John earned a living at Kelvinator’s, a local factory, and Hilda was a homemaker.

Both John and Hilda were devout Catholics, and passed their faith on to their children. Pete attended mass every Sunday at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church, and often served as an altar boy. When the time came for Pete to go to school, he was enrolled at St. Stephen’s Elementary School. During the Depression years, times were tough for everyone, and Pete signed up for a paper route in order to help make ends meet at home. In his free time, Pete loved hunting, fishing, and cheering on his favorite sports teams.

The years sped by, and Pete soon grew into a hardworking and principled young man. He played football for Catholic Central High School, and was elected a class officer by his fellow students. One of those fellow students was a pretty young woman named Barbara Herrmann. Pete and Barb started dating, and soon became high school sweethearts.

After graduating from Catholic Central in 1947, Pete went on to attend both Aquinas and Davenport College, where he earned a business degree. During the Korean War, Pete answered the call of duty and served his country by enlisting in the Army. He was soon sent overseas, and was stationed in Germany.

Honorably discharged and safely back home in the States, Pete married his sweetheart Barb on May 8, 1955, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After a honeymoon to New Orleans, the happy couple settled down to married life in an apartment on Broadway Ave NW. Later, they would build a house on Mayfield NE, which remains their home to this day.

As the years went by, Pete and Barb were blessed with four children, whom they named Kathy, Peter, Anne, and Laura. Pete supported his growing family as a CPA at McBain Accounting and Hungsford, Aldrin, Nichols and Carter, where he was a loyal employee for over 20 years. Meticulous and hardworking, Pete was also sought after as an independent tax consultant, and did tax returns for many people on the side. For vacations, Pete and his family made many happy memories on trips to New York, Montreal, Yellowstone, Mammoth Caves, and New Jersey, as well as numerous camping trips throughout the beautiful state of Michigan.

A man of great faith, Pete was deeply involved in the church life of his parish, St. Alphonsus. He and his family always attended Mass at St. Alphonsus, and the kids also attended classes at the parish school. Pete loved to serve his church, and was a director of Crusillo, a faith-based retreat movement. He was also active in the community, and belonged to both the American Legion and the Knights of Columbus.

In recent years, Pete and Barb have enjoyed escaping the cold to vacation in warmer climate each winter: Florida, the Carolinas, and Aruba. They also became adventurous travelers, snapping photos and sampling dishes in locales as far-flung as Ireland, Hawaii, Alaska, and Morocco. Closer to home, Pete had become a proud grandfather, and loved spending time with the grandkids. Around the house, Pete could often be spotted paging through a novel, especially those by his favorite writers, Taylor Caldwell and John Grisham. He also loved anything to do with sports, and often tuned in to follow the Detroit Tigers, the Red Wings, and Notre Dame teams.

Sadly, for the last several years Barb has struggled with dementia. Pete has been her primary caregiver, doing everything in his power to care for his beloved companion of so many years. Four weeks ago, Pete was further grieved by the death of his brother, Bob, to whom he had been very close. Just a few weeks later, Pete himself developed breathing difficulty, and was diagnosed with pneumonia. Soon after, it was discovered that Pete had cancer, and little could be done. He spent his final days at Faith Hospice in Trillium Woods, with his family keeping vigil at his side.

Generous and compassionate, principled and faith-filled, Pete was a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, and a loyal friend. He will be deeply missed by his many friends and family members.

William J. “Pete” Weldon aged 84 of Grand Rapids, Went to be with his Lord, on Sunday, May 26, 2013. He is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Barbara A. Weldon (Herrmann); his children, Kathryn L. (Leah Cohen) Weldon, Peter J. Weldon, Anne M. Weldon and Laura J. (Gary) Palmitier; his six grandchildren, Shawn Weldon, Jamie Klomparens, Jessie (Robert) Verville, Jordan Palmitier, Ryan Palmitier, Marcus Palmitier; 3 great grandchildren, Jasmine, Carter and Angela; his brother-in-law and sisters-in-law, Frank (Suzanne) Herrmann, Mary Weldon, Joyce Weldon; many nieces, nephews and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Hilda Weldon and his two brothers, James Weldon and Robert Weldon. Pete honorably served his country during the Korean War.

He worked as a CPA all his life. He was a member of the American Legion, Knights of Columbus, and St. Alphonsus Catholic Church where the Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday morning at 11:00 AM. Burial in Mt. Calvary Cemetery. Relatives and friends may meet his family on Thursday from 2:00 – 4:00 and 7:00 – 9:00 PM, with the rosary prayed at 7:00 PM at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home – 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW. Contributions in his memory may be made to St. Alphonsus Church or Catherine’s Care Center. To sign Pete’s guest book and to leave your own memory of him, visit his web page at www.lifestorynet.com