William Foster Welborn

Born 3-9-1939 in Stringer, Mississippi Died 8-1-25 in Arvada, CO (86)

Bill was full of life, loved to make people laugh, and could be counted on for a joke or two. He was always on the go because he was always outside, weather permitting. He bow hunted during archery season almost every year and pheasant hunted in Kansas several years.

Scarlet was the love of his life, four-legged variety. She was a beautiful Irish Setter of royal lineage. They were always together when he was not working at the Denver Mint. His greatest heartache was when her health required her to be put to sleep. Her collar is in his casket now, together at last.

As a young man of 17, he signed up for the U. S. Air Force. He served as a military policeman for 13 years when he transferred to aircraft mechanics, becoming a supervisor. He worked on aircraft for the rest of his career…20 years and 15 days.

He then came to Denver, working at installing windows but eventually began at the U. S. Mint, Denver, as an equipment mechanic. He worked there for 16 years.

During this time, he was married for 27 years to Martha Nell Mills but was then divorced.

Happenstance, he met the two-legged variety called a lady named Mary Lou Knight. They married on 12-10-1988 and began an adventure of love, light-heartedness and laughter for the rest of their lives together.

These 36 years were filled with peace, love, joy, book writing (he has 7 books on Kindle with 3 more in editing process) so he could say his dream of becoming an author was fulfilled. His URL is WFOSTERWELBORN.COM.

There was travel, fishing, camping, hunting, good cooking (which he loved to do) and watching educational TV shows. The two walked for miles daily, enjoying being outdoors, bird watching, and really living.

In the end, ALS took his body but not his mind, which stayed sharp. He will be missed by so many people, family, friends and all.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Lou, his daughter Laura Susan, his son Jeffery, his 2 stepsons—Donald Sargent and John Farkas, who called him dad—his stepdaughter Lauren Couchoud, and one of the sweetest ladies, Mary Lou’s sister Pat—who he claimed as the sister he never had. There are many grandchildren and great grandchildren too numerous to mention individually.

Suffice it to say that a child born in poverty, struggled to survive most of his 49 years before he met Mary Lou, but he ended up a true gentleman and scholar, fulfilling his dreams and goals.

God saw you getting Tired
And a cure was not to be.
So He put His arms around you
And whispered, “Come to me!”
With tearful eyes we watched you
And saw you pass away.
Although we loved you dearly,
We could not make you stay.
A golden heart stopped beating…
Hard-working hands to rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us
He only takes the best.