Delma P. Welder

Delma P. Welder (89) was called home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, November 14^th, 2023.

A longtime resident of Kingsport, TN and native of Monroe County, West Virginia. Delma found joy in life and blessed everyone around her with her loving presence. She was born on July 8, 1934, the first of seven children of the late O. Roy Parker and Julia Oxley Parker. A large, loving, extended family dedicated to each other, education, and their community and country. Having been raised in a family of educators, Delma excelled in her coursework and pursued a career in nursing, which she considered her calling. A proud graduate of the Berea College of Nursing and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Public Health Nursing program, Delma’s nursing career spanned six decades. Her dedication and love of nursing inspired generations of family members to pursue healthcare professions.

Delma married Franklin Hayes Welder, Sr., also of Monroe County, West Virginia, on June 5^th, 1960. At Frank’s passing in 2020, they had been married for 60 years. The couple were inseparable for most of their lives and were best friends. They were long time members of First Broad Street United Methodist Church, Kingsport, where Delma joyfully sang in the choir. They raised a daughter, Lynette Thomas (Jeff) and two sons, Bill Welder and Franklin H. Welder, Jr. (Cathy). Delma was very proud of her grandchildren, Tanner Thomas (Alison Horley), Kaysey Thomas (CJ Rabey), Luke Welder and Ethan Welder. A cornerstone of family support, Delma was a loving daughter, sister, aunt/great-aunt and surrogate grandmother to many relatives and friends of the Parker, Oxley and Welder clans. She was always interested to hear how someone was doing and to make sure they “felt her hug.” 

Per their wishes, Delma will be traveling to their homeplace to be buried alongside Franklin. Services will be held at the Greenville United Methodist Church in Greenville, WV, viewing at 11:30 a.m., with celebration of life to follow on Saturday, November 18^th, 2023. Lifelong members of the United Methodist Church, the family ask in lieu of flowers, that donations, if desired be made to either the Holston United Methodist Home for Children, P.O. Box 188, Greeneville, TN 37744 or the Greenville United Methodist Church Cemetery Fund,  c/o Randall Young, 323 Deep Valley Road, Lindside, WV 24951.

The family of Delma P. Welder would like to express their sincere gratitude for the overwhelming love and support provided to Delma by the caregivers and staff of Preston Place II memory care unit. They truly helped ensure Delma lived her best life to the fullest these past three years. We are forever grateful.