Larry Buster Welch

Larry Welch passed away in the care of hospice in Hillsborough, NC, July 2013 after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

Born the son of a coal miner and Baptist Minister in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. Mr. Welch was an entrepreneur and businessman.

He attended Bob Jones University and later the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and served honorably in the US Air Force where he met his wife Margaret (Marge). After serving in the USAF he entered the corporate world selling business insurance on the West Coast while based in Phoenix, AZ and later Olympia, WA.

In 1970 he co-founded the Hitch-N Post Realty in Ava, MO with a focus on buying and selling agricultural real estate in the Ozarks.

In the early 1980s he and his family moved to Ft. Myers, FL where he took over a failing direct marketing company, Phase V and later, with support of his wife Marge successfully grew the company, selling it in 1998 and semi-retiring to the North Carolina mountains.

Larry was known for his high energy, entrepreneurial drive, and ability to listen and connect with those around him and to see the “bigger picture” with both a vision and purpose.

Spending time with his family was always very special to him and of course, his love for the University of Tennessee Volunteer football and all things “Big Orange” was and likely goes unmatched to this day.

He is survived by his 3 sons and 8 Grandchildren.