KINGSPORT, TN --- Delma P. Welder (89) was called home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, November 14th, 2023.

A longtime resident of Kingsport, TN and native of Monroe County, West Virginia.   Delma found joy in life and blessed everyone around her with her loving presence.    She was born on July 8, 1934 in Union, WV, the first of seven children of the late O. Roy Parker and Julia Oxley Parker.  A large, loving, extended family dedicated to each other, education, and their community.  Having been raised in a family of educators, Delma excelled in her coursework and pursued a career in nursing, which she considered her calling.  A proud graduate of the Greenville School, the Berea College of Nursing, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Public Health Nursing program, Delma's nursing career spanned six decades.  Her dedication and love of nursing inspired generations of family members to pursue healthcare professions.

Delma married Franklin Hayes Welder, Sr., also of Monroe County, West Virginia, on June 5th, 1960.  At Frank's passing in 2020, they had been married for 60 years.  The couple were inseparable for most of their lives and were best friends.  They were long time members of First Broad Street United Methodist Church, Kingsport, where Delma joyfully sang in the choir. They raised a daughter, Lynette Thomas (Jeff) and two sons, Bill Welder and Franklin H. Welder, Jr. (Cathy).  Delma was very proud of her grandchildren, Tanner Thomas (Alison Horley), Kaysey Thomas (CJ Rabey), Luke Welder and Ethan Welder.  Delma loved her extended family dearly and was very proud of her Monroe County roots; she was a loving daughter, sister, aunt/great-aunt and surrogate grandmother to many relatives and friends of the Parker, Oxley and Welder clans.  She was always interested to hear how someone was doing and to make sure they "felt her hug."  She and Franklin made a point of returning frequently for family gatherings and events so that their children could share the incredible support of their tight-knit community of family and friends.

In addition to being a consummate caregiver, Delma was an avid landscaper, a rose grower, and lover of hummingbirds.  She was a voracious reader and skilled multi-tasker.  She truly loved coffee.  She was a skilled baker, and her rolls, pizza and pecan pies were legendary.  She was kind, considerate and infinitely patient, sitting as a loyal audience member through many tedious and overly enthusiastic concerts by loved ones.  Delma loved to sing, was a fan of Garden Clubs, and enjoyed her time in church youth leadership.

Delma was an adventurous traveler who, along with several recent nursing graduates from southern WV, traveled extensively in Europe right after WWII.   She often laughed at the "American Girls" sign they had in the back window of their VW bus.  After a public health nursing career, followed by raising her children, Delma went back to nursing school a second time, and rejoined her chosen profession decades later for a second act with Nursing.  She was head night shift nurse of a small community hospital in Brevard, NC, often participating in church and community activities straight from a brief catnap.  She completed additional work in Home Health and Hospice nursing before retiring with Franklin to live close to children and grandchildren in Kingsport, TN.  Retirement certainly did not slow her down, as she was incredibly busy with church, family and friends for decades, and she and Franklin enjoyed a long, full, wonderful retirement together, frequently traveling between their two homes in Kingsport, TN and Greenville, WV.  Delma was happiest when she had a house full of friends and loved ones to care for.  She and Franklin were perpetually planning the next family gathering, reunion, or just simply enjoying the outdoors.  There always seemed to be a yard to be mowed or a chore to be done that required a fun trip.

Delma was preceded in death by her parents, O. Roy Parker and Julia Oxley Parker, sisters Joyce Parker, Mary Ella Parker Smith, and brothers Robert L. Parker and Frederick L. (Judith Houchins) Parker.   Delma is survived by her children, Lynette (Jeff) Thomas of Kingsport, TN, Bill Welder of Kingsport, TN, Franklin (Cathy) Welder, Jr. of Norwich, VT; grandchildren Tanner (Alison)Thomas, Kaysey Thomas (CJ Rabey), Luke Welder, Ethan Welder, her sisters, Gatha (William) Meadows and Teresa (Mason) Johnson, and many cherished extended family members, friends and grand-furbabies.

Funeral services will be conducted 12:30 p.m. Saturday, November 18th at the Greenville United Methodist Church, in Greenville with Brian Young presiding.   Graveside services will follow at the Greenville UMC Cemetery with Mason Johnson, Neil Dunlap, Tanner Thomas, CJ Rabey, Tripp Shiflet and Eli Allen serving as pallbearers.  Kathy Martin will provide the piano accompaniment.

The Family will receive friends Saturday, November 18th from 11:30 a.m. until time of the service at the Church.

Lifelong members of the United Methodist Church, the family ask in lieu of flowers, that donations, if desired be made to either the Holston United Methodist Home for Children, P.O. Box 188, Greeneville, TN 37744 or the Greenville United Methodist Church Cemetery Fund, c/o Randall Young, 323 Deep Valley Road, Lindside, WV 24951.

Arrangements by Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Homes, Kingsport, TN and Groves-Mann Funeral Home, Union, WV.