J. W. Welden, 94, of Mt. Airy, N.C. passed away Tuesday, July 8, 2014.

He was born October 5, 1919, in Haralson County, Georgia, to the late Andrew and Mattie Weldon.

He was a World War II veteran and served in the Army in the South Pacific where he received a Purple Heart. While in service, he met and married Marian Wilkins and began his career raising animals and various crops. He loved working in the outdoors, traveling, and sharing with people along the way. He was a member of Tally Ho First Baptist Church in Stem and faithfully attended Ladonia Baptist Church after moving to Mt. Airy.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Marian, his brothers and sisters-in-law, Clifford and Opal Weldon and Amos and Reba Weldon, his brother, Emory Weldon, and his sisters and brothers-in-law, Grace and Ellie Parks and Verdell and Jack Bell.

Survivors include his wife, Erna, sister-in-law, Helen Welden, and brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Gene and Gertrude Ferrell, and a number of relatives living in Germany.

His funeral will take place at 2:00 p.m. Friday, July 11, with visitation from 12 noon to 2 p.m. at Tally Ho First Baptist Church in Stem, N.C. with Reverend Tony Holder officiating. The burial will follow in the church cemetery. Nephews will serve as pallbearers.