Obituary of Richard (Rick) Dale Welty, Jr.

On April 10, 2023, Richard Dale Welty, Jr. of Vestal, NY passed from the loving arms of his family to the loving arms of God. He enjoyed 78 years with us.

He is predeceased by his beloved mother, Vesta Scarano, both of his fathers, Michael Scarano (stepfather) and Richard D Welty, Sr. and his grandson, Harvey Richard Walker.

Rick is leaving behind his wife of 30 years, Kathy Layer (East Meredith). son Pablo Welty and husband Richard S. Welty (NYC), daughter and her family Monica Welty, partner Karrie Sides and granddaughters Vesta Walker and Olivia Taylor (Portland, OR), brother Mark Scarano and partner Elisa Previti (Endicott). niece and her family Dana, Vito, Giuliana, and Regina Calandra (Endwell), nephew and family Nick, Natalise, Brittany and Michaela Scarano (Vestal) and countless friends and extended family.

Rick graduated from Vestal High School ('62), the University of Dayton ('66) where he was a brother in the AKY fraternity, and enjoyed a 34-year career with a variety of titles in accounting and management at IBM, before "retiring" to 10 years as a clerk at Liquor Town in Vestal. He was a hard worker, a compassionate manager, and a strong mentor. In 1973, he spent two years in Bogota, Colombia as a Peace Corps volunteer consulting with small family-run businesses.

Rick loved this life. He took so much pleasure in music, cooking, theatre, the opera, movies, politics, and travel. He was just as content in his living room watching a movie as he was adventuring through the winding roads of a foreign country. He thrived on his connection with people. He remained friends with people from every stage of his long life and cherished his family, both chosen and given. He was in his element when preparing an elaborate meal for a large table of loved ones, strolling the gardens during his annual family trip to the Shakespeare Festival in Canada, cheering the UD Flyers basketball team with his brothers, or playing joyfully whatever game caught the fancy of his granddaughters. The world will never be the same without Rick, best known as Papa, but it was certainly better with his presence.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the memorial scholarship fund Rick established for the Human Rights Department at the University of Dayton in honor of his late grandson. Indicate in the memo of a check or the "comment" section of the online form that the donation be directed to "The Harvey Richard Walker Scholarship Fund."

Donations, payable to University of Dayton, can be mailed to:

The University of Dayton, c/o the Harvey Richard Walker Scholarship Fund, 300 College Park, Dayton, OH 45469-7056.

Or donate online at: Your.udayton.edu/give. Click "make an online gift" and indicate the scholarship in the comment line.