Omer Hilery Welna

Omer Hilery Welna, age 85, Charlotte, North Carolina, passed away peacefully, Friday, August 12th, after a long struggle with COPD at the Aldergate Hospice Center in Charlotte. He was born July 12th, 1934 in Little Falls, MN to Louis Welna and Freda (Philipsek) Welna. He married Dorothy Jean Olsen, August 4, 1956. After graduating from Little Falls High School, he attended the Chicago College of Podiatry where he graduated in 1957. After graduation they moved to Moorhead, Minnesota where they raised their family. Omer had a long and rewarding career as a solo podiatrist in both Moorhead and its sister city, Fargo, North Dakota. He retired in 1994. His love of gardening allowed him to provide fresh vegetables and fruit for not only his family, but also for many of his patients! Omer was a lifelong member of the Elks club. Omer grew up admiring Jimmy Doolittle, as an adult he pursued his childhood dream of becoming a private pilot. An avid hunter and fisherman, many of his fondest memories were spent with family in the north woods of Minnesota pursuing roughed grouse, he also dabbled with fly fishing for trout. After retirement he could be frequently found on Bad Medicine lake where he was "dialed in" for catching stocked rainbow trout. Omer loved to bake bread and other pastries. He perfected a copy of the "Johnny Bread" he enjoyed while attending St. Johns Academy as a high school student. The Hobart mixer, (floor-stand industrial), allowed him to prepare and bake many loaves of bread at a time! He and Jean moved to Charlotte in August of 2015 in order to be closer to family. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Jean Welna, two sons, Jeffrey (Marie) Welna, Charlotte, North Carolina, Kevin (Janet) Welna, St. Paul, Minnesota, orthfive grandchildren and six great-grand children as well as two brothers, Marvin Welna, Little Falls, Minnesota and Louis (Judy) Welna, Milton, Vermont. In his last days of life, family from across the country came to be with him. He was surrounded by the love and care of his family as he passed into God's arms. At Omer's request, a private celebration of life, honoring his life and legacy, will be held in a location special to his immediate family. In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorial donations be made to the American Lung Association, the Parkinson's Foundation, or Alzheimer's Association. Special thanks to BlueDot Cares, Hospice and Palliative Care Charlotte and Levine Dickson Hospice House at Aldersgate for their gentle care of Omer.