Louis Frederick Welch died March 13, 2009 at Carle Foundation Hospital. He was born at Linden, TN on March 29, 1931 to Louis and Hilda Houston Welch, both deceased.

He is survived by his wife, Marilyn, who he married in 1956 at Cherokee, AL, and three sons: Charles Welch of Wood Dale, IL; Tom Welch of Hattiesburg, MS; and Steven Welch of Urbana. They have five granddaughters and three grandsons. Fred's sister, Mae Phy, lives at McEwen, TN, and brother, Ted lives at Nashville, TN. A sister, Patsy Peach, preceded him in death.

Fred graduated from the University of Tennessee, Auburn University, and Iowa State University. He was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity, Gamma Sigma Delta, Alpha Zeta, Phi Kappa Phi and Sigma Xi. Fred was elected a Fellow in the Soil Science Society of America and in the American Society of Agronomy.

He worked at the Georgia Experiment Station, the U. S. Department of Agriculture, and the Agronomy Department at the University of Illinois. His research dealt with soil fertility and fertilizers. He retired from the U of I in 1990. Since retirement Marilyn and Fred have enjoyed travel, collecting seashells and fossilized shark teeth.

Memorial Services will be 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, March 17 at the Philo Road Church of Christ, 2601 S. Philo Rd., Urbana. Memorials may be made to the church. Renner-Wikoff Chapel, 1900 S. Philo Rd., Urbana is in charge of arrangements.