Joseph Leo Welsh

Arrowsic- Lieutenant Commander Joseph “Joe” Leo Welsh, 78, of Arrowsic, ME, died peacefully in his home on September 30th. 

Joe was born on July 11th, 1943 in Kingsville, TX to Joseph and Norma Welsh. After graduating from Seminole High School in 1961, Joe went on to enlist in the Navy in July of 1962. That same year he married Sheila Howe; they went on to have two children together, Julie and Joe. 

After discovering he had an aptitude for electronics, Uncle Sam decided to send Joe off to pursue higher education, and he ultimately obtained a Masters in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas. 

While stationed at NAS Corpus Christi, Joe met and fell in love with his second wife, Lieutenant Commander Lois (Holdridge) Welsh. They wed in 1982 and went on to have one child, Kendray. Joe retired from the Navy with full honors in 1988 and went on to serve the Navy and his country as a civilian contractor with the Naval Air Systems Command.

In Joe’s free time he loved golfing, coming up with creative ways to keep squirrels off his bird feeders, and traveling with Lois. He was an active member of American Legion Post 21 in Bath and was named Legionnaire of the Year in 2016 in recognition of his hard work and dedication. Joe was also a key part of Bath’s “We Remember” ceremony, a Memorial Day remembrance of soldiers lost in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  

Joe was predeceased by his parents; his wife, Lois Welsh; his sister, Michon (Welsh) Kelly; and his grandson, Michael Rodriguez. He is survived by his brother, Vick Welsh; his children Julie Welsh, Joe Welsh, and Kendray Rodriguez; and his granddaughters, Brianna Welsh and Aurora Rodriguez.

Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday, October 13th, 2021 from 10:00am - 12:00pm at David E. Desmond & Son Funeral Home, 686 High Street, Bath. Burial with full military honors will follow at 1:00pm at the Maine Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery, 163 Mount Vernon Road, Augusta.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Joe’s memory to American Legion Post 21, 200 Congress Avenue, Bath, ME 04530.

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