Russell E. Welkley Jr. "Pete", 79, of Wolcott, passed away Sunday, July 03, 2022. He was born September 28, 1942, In Rochester, son of the late Russell Welkley Sr., and Helen Mater Welkley. The family moved to North Rose when Pete was two years old. He worked on the family fruit farm until his high school graduation, Pete was a member of the North Rose School Class of 1960. In school he enjoyed playing baseball and was a member of the band playing trumpet. After high school he attended Morrisville College and then joined his father at the family farm. He also worked at Wolcott Evaporator plant and Wolcott Cold Storage businesses run by his Dad. In 1995 he went to work for the North Rose Wolcott School District as a mechanic and retired in 2009. In retirement Pete enjoyed puttering around the farm and working in his vegetable garden. He also restored a 1953 Oliver Row Crop 77 tractor. Pete was a 50+ year member of the North Rose Fire Department serving as 1st assistant chief and chief for several years and was a charter member of the Sodus Point Lions Club and was also a member of the Wolcott Elks Club. Pete loved Sodus Point and spent many summers in the water boating and fishing. He met his future wife Judy in Sodus Point in 1962 on a blind date. They just celebrated 58 years of marriage in June 2022.
Pete is survived by his wife, Judith Pelow Welkley, his sons, Russ (Tammy), Eric, daughter, Diane, grandchildren, Kristi, Sarah, Jake, Lindsay, Cody, Jordan, Braden, great granddaughter, Madeline, sister, Helen (LeRoy) Schultz, sister-in-law, Mary Kay (Jim) Birch, as well as several nieces and nephews.
Predeceased by his parents, Russell (1994), and Helen (2002), and his in laws, Russell (Betty) Pelow.
Services will be private at the Farnsworth-Keysor Funeral Home, North Rose, burial in Newark Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the Pathway Homes, PO Box 516, 1529 State Route 414, Seneca Falls, NY 13148, or the North Rose Fire Department, PO Box 208, North Rose, NY 14516.

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