William A. "Butch" Welker

William A. "Butch" Welker, 79, of Canton, IL, passed away on Monday, December 11, 2023, at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, IL. He was born on August 20, 1944, in Canton. He was the son of Harold E. and Dorothy L. Murphy. He married Linda Gregory on August 17, 1968, in Farmington, IL.

Surviving are his wife, four sons, William, Gary, William Jr., and Scott, and one daughter, Kari Frew; eleven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Also surviving are his adopted children Kylee Tanner, Allura Kucia, and Eorik Kucia; Two brothers, Mike (Maxine) Welker and Evan (Cheryl) Welker; and one sister, Brenda Jacobs. His parents and one brother preceded him in death.

He was a U.S. Navy Veteran, faithfully serving his country from 1961 until his honorable discharge in 1965. After his military career, he worked for International Harvester in Canton, and later, he worked at Rohn Manufacturing in Bartonville before his retirement.

While there will be no public services, his family will privately celebrate his life. His family invites you to share your favorite stories and memories of Butch to honor his memory. Affordable Funeral & Cremation Services of Central Illinois, Peoria, is assisting his family with arrangements. His family invites you to visit www.peoriafuneral.com to share a memory or send a condolence.