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ObituariesIn Remembrance: Donald Roderick Welles Jr. ’59 Died on June 16 2014 View full image
The Rev. Donald Roderick Welles Jr., age 79, was born peacefully into eternal life on June 16, 2014, at home, surrounded by family. A native Delawarean, Rod attended Wilmington Friends School and graduated from the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut. Rod received his BA from Yale University and his master of divinity from Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Following seminary, Rod taught English and religion at St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire, after which he was head of the upper school of Portledge School in Locust Valley, New York. He also served as head of Sewanee Academy in Sewanee, Tennessee, and head of the Arlington Schools in College Park, Georgia. After returning to Wilmington, Rod worked first for Independent School Management and then for Friendship House, Inc. Rod believed there were three essential relationships in life: one’s relationship to God, one’s relationship to other persons, and one’s relationship to God’s creation. Expressing these relationships was the hallmark of his ministry as a priest, as an educator, as a racism awareness trainer, and as a minister to the homeless. Rod is survived by his beloved wife of 40 years, Sue; his beloved children, Kirsten and Rod III; and grandchildren August, Cameron, and Wyndham. A memorial service is scheduled in Wilmington, Delaware, for Saturday June 28, 2014. In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to support jazz vespers at the Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew in Wilmington, Delaware; or to Friendship House Inc., P.O. Box 1517, Wilmington, DE 19899; or to Camp Arrowhead, Episcopal Diocese of Delaware, 2020 Tatnall Street, Wilmington, DE 19802; or to Delaware Hospice at 16 Polly Drummond Center, 2nd Fl., Newark, DE 19711. —Submitted on behalf of the family. |
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Don and I were iclassmates at Hotchkiss -Class of '54- so we are talking about 70 years ago - and I have just come across his obit. I remember him as the perfect gentleman -quiet, gentle and kind. Always impeccably dressed -Harris Tweed jackets and Brooks Bros button downs I suppose.
Hotchkiss was founded as a Yale feeder school and we were all expected to follow the herd but I rebelled and marched to a different drum into the Air Force as I wanted to fly and luckily at the time, they needed Flying Officers acceptable without a college degree which would come later. Anyway, as I remember (I am going on 90 this year) we used to call each other "cousin" as my middle name is Welles (with an "e"), my grand-mother was Josephine Welles, the sculptress, and my god-mother Alicia Dupont was also from Delaware. I could go on but I'm getting tired and I just thought this might be interesting to Don's grandchildren before I pass on. Thank you, David Richardson.
(P.S. Regarding my Email I am no relation to James Bond}