Tribute: Ron Welch

On 12 October 2015, Wendover lost one of its most caring and charismatic residents Thomas Ronald Welch, Ron to everyone who knew him. He was born in Lincolnshire in 1928 and settled in Wendover with his family in 1970.

Young enough to miss fighting in World War 2, he was determined to forge a successful life and career, though circumstances made his academic path difficult. However his determination and strength of character won through and after studying at night school he qualified as a Chartered Chemist in 1952. He worked in Road Research from 1946 and developed a new surface first used on a street in Lydney, Gloucestershire.He was admired for his conscientiousness, thoroughness and determination. He always succeeded in achieving anything he set out to do. He joined BP in 1956 and stayed for 31 years, retiring in 1987 after an extremely successful career.

He met Marian in 1949 at a dance and they bonded over their shared love of music. They married in 1953. Sons Colin and Peter arrived a few years later. Marian passed away in 2008.

Recently I read through his recipes for all manner of fruit wines from the 1950s to the 80s. The elderberry was the best and I recall a potent tasty drink of about 15% alcohol. I have fond memories of picking the berries around Wendover in my schooldays in the 70s – it was an excellent use of this free fruit that usually goes to waste. His orange wine went into his famous punch, which made for much merriment at many summer parties held from the 70s to the 90s at Garden House in Wendover. I hope some readers will recall these times.

He played football in his 20s and headed the winning goal in a local cup final for Uxbridge. He became a keen tennis player and joined Wendover Tennis Club in 1970. In 1981 he was inspired by the ‘running boom’ and at the age of 53 did Abingdon marathon in a time of 3h54. He got down to 33m30 at the Hillingdon 5mile and 16m10s at Gunnersbury 2.5m, plus a 1h33 Reading half-marathon. Extraordinary performances I can’t get close to now I am a similar age. I enjoyed many wonderful weekends going to races with Dad in the 1980s.

He had a deep interest in a music (favourites were Bruckner and Wagner) and poetry (Emily Dickinson and Thomas Traherne).Since he retired in 1987, he entered a remarkable and wonderful phase of life in which he completely changed focus from his corporate career to helping people in pain. He studied hard and qualified in Alexander Technique, Cranial Sacral Therapy and Vortex Healing and built up a detailed knowledge of human anatomy. He explored the human energy system and became a powerful and much sought-after healer.

He developed an integrated, eclectic healing approach that focussed on his clients’ well-being, adapting techniques to find what worked best. He helped many people recover from serious injury. One long-standing client told me only Ron could relieve his shoulder pain; no other conventional or alternative methods worked.

In parallel to his new healing vocation, a spiritual quest and in particular heart energy became central to his life. From 1998 he was drawn to the Heart Healing run by Jill and Joe O’Carroll from Vancouver, Canada. He came to radiate a cheerful love and kindness which was very striking to people he met in the village and elsewhere. I am sure all those who remember him will do so with great fondness.Colin Welch, son