NORMAN THOMAS WELKER

Norman Welker

Norman Thomas Welker, 82, of Macomb died at 4:55 a.m. March 12, 2021, at HSHS St. Johns Hospital in Springfield.

He was born Oct. 15, 1938, in Canton, a son of Don B. and Jeanette Angelo Welker. He married Virginia Kingery on July 18, 1959, in Ipava. She survives.

Also surviving are two sons, Brian (and Sue) Welker of Naperville and Bradley (and Dora) Welker of Sherman; four grandchildren; and several cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by one brother, Don E. Welker; and one sister, Emma Jane Nappin.

He graduated with the Class of 1956 from VIT High School. Following graduation, he joined the U.S. Army where he learned the telephone trade. He served two years in Japan where he was responsible for maintaining dial offices. During this period of service he received three letters of recommendation.

He was in the U.S. Army, serving from June 6, 1956, to May 13, 1959, with a rank of SP5 (T).

After the Army, he worked for McDonough Telephone Cooperative for 47 years, the last 21 years as general manager and president.

Over the years, he served on the Illinois Hearing Impaired program, which today is the ITAC program. He was a member of the Illinois Telephone Cooperative Advisory Council, Illinois Independent Telephone Company, Illinois Telephone Association, Service Management Corporation Board and National Telephone Cooperative Association Board. The crown jewel was to serve as president of the NTCA Board of Directors and receiving the NTCA Management Life Achievement Award. He was instrumental, along with other Telco leaders, with the creation of Western Illinois Network Service providing Internet Technology and later digital TV to the homes throughout west central Illinois. MTC first introduced digital switching technology in the late 1990s. He had a major responsibility in coordinating this project as MTC had to work with a number of companies that the Cooperative connected with, the largest being GTE Telephone. By the time he became general manager in 1984, many changes had occurred within the telephone industry. He retired on Sept. 30, 2005.

He also was a member of the Macomb Elk’s Lodge 1009, serving as Exalted Ruler in 1983 and District Deputy GER in 1998, Macomb Masonic Lodge #17, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Springfield, IL, ANSAR Shrine in Springfield, American Legion Post #6 of Macomb, President of the Macomb Area Chamber of Commerce in 2002, President of the National Telephone Cooperative Association in 2004-05.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at First Christian Church in Macomb with Pastor Kelly Ingersol officiating. Visitation will be held from 9:30-11 a.m. Wednesday at the church. Burial will be in Summum Cemetery, with military rites provided by the American Legion Post #6 of Macomb and Masonic Rites by the Macomb Masonic Lodge #17. Shawgo Memorial Home in Astoria is in charge of arrangements.

Memorials may be made in Norman’s memory to the WIU Foundation for the Arts, c/o WIU Foundation, 1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455, the Hematology Research at Mayo Clinic, c/o Mayo Clinic Dept. of Development, 200 1st St. SW, Rochester, MN 55905 or the Shriners Hospital For Children, Chicago Unit, 2211 North Oak Park Ave, Chicago, IL 60707-3392.

Condolences may be sent to www.shawgomemorialhome.org.

Published in the Astoria South Fulton Argus on 3/17/2021