Bob Welch, husband of Burelene Wells Welch formerly of Jacksboro and son in law of Margaret and Burel Wells, passed away Monday, December 19 of a heart attack at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. He was 80 years old.

Welch was born in Philadelphia and lived briefly in New Jersey before moving to Dallas, where his father had taken a banking job. Welch was a dishwasher for Highland Park Pharmacy and attended North Dallas High School, dropping out in the 10th grade.

He served three years in the Marines during the Korean War. After completing his military service, he entered what is now the University of North Texas.

He married Burelene Wells at First United Methodist Church in Jacksboro in 1960.

Welch worked briefly for the Longview News Journal in East Texas. In 1960, he was hired as a reporter and cameraman for the Dallas bureau of WBAP-TV, now KXAS-TV (NBC5).

He is best known for covering the immediate aftermaths of the attempted assassination of Gen. Edwin Walker and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas. He went on to cover the war in Vietnam and the protests that followed in Washington, D.C.

Welch is survived by his wife, two daughters, Lori Harrison and husband Jim of Coppell and Marci Jackson and husband Wess of Indianapolis; and eight grandchildren.

Services were Wednesday, December 22 at First United Methodist Church in Irving with graveside services in Oakwood Cemetery in Jacksboro.