Robert (Rob) Wilson Welker (66), loving father and Pop-Pop, passed away unexpectedly on June 6th, 2020 in Atlanta, GA.
Rob is survived by his sons, Bryan (Lindsay) Welker and Brent Welker; siblings Ann Welker, Kerry Welker, and Lisa (Tom) Henderson; aunt Marlene (James) Everson; grandchildren Avery and Kinsley Welker; former spouse Patricia Moss and several cousins, nephews and nieces. He is preceded in death by his parents Wilson and Barbara Welker and aunt Mary Frances Cooper.
Rob was born on February 20, 1954 in Wheeling, WV. After graduating from Marshall University in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing, he moved to Chambersburg, PA for his first job out of College as a manager for K-Mart. Although Rob lived most of his adult life in Georgia, he did live in Clearwater FL from 1993 – 2008. While living in GA and FL, he worked at Reynolds and Reynolds, Equifax and Bank of America.
Rob was an avid sports fan and lifelong fan of the Penguins, Steelers, Pirates, Thundering Herd, Braves, Falcons, Buccaneers and Lightning. He enjoyed going to sports bars to watch his favorite teams and meet new people. Outside of sports, he loved watching movies and going to concerts and theater. His favorite musical was Phantom of the Opera. His mother always loved the song Somewhere Over the Rainbow and so did he. He also enjoyed Frank Sinatra and easy listening music. While living in FL, he enjoyed spending time with his sons at Clearwater beach, deep sea fishing and fishing under the Dunedin causeway bridge. In the last few years of his life, he enjoyed being with family and seeing his two grandchildren.
Those of you who knew Rob well, know that he was reserved and shy most of the time, but after a beer he became a real chatterbox talking about the latest in sports or world news and always knew how to lighten the mood and make people laugh. Not surprising that having a great sense of humor he also loved comedians. He attended shows of the likes of Johnny Carson, Jay Leno, and Seinfeld over the years. He was always quoting Rodney Dangerfield to get a laugh.
Rob had a big heart and would always help when he could. He touched many lives over the years and saved one along the way when a young boy was choking outside his house he stepped in and was able to get the boy to cough up the item and breath again. A heroic act that not many people were aware of. He also had love and affection for animals. His favorite animal in the world was his son Brent’s cat, Lexi, which he adored and grew close to in the last years of his life.
Rob was a spiritual person and volunteered his time at Cedarcrest Church during the last few years of his life working in the media production room. He had a creative mindset and was always fascinated with film and directing.
Although Rob struggled with Bi-Polar disorder most of his life, he always said that no matter how his life turned out that his greatest accomplishment was having his two sons. He will be missed.
Instead of flowers, we feel that Rob would have preferred an unexpected act of kindness be carried out for someone in honor of his name.
