Lewis A. Welch Jr., 89, Fayetteville, died Nov. 24, 2009. He was born in Chattanooga, Tenn., to the late L. A. and Luna Dunagan Welch. His family moved to Atlanta shortly after and he has lived in the Metro Atlanta area since. He was a First Sergeant in the United States Army Air Detachment, Army Ordinance 97th Bomb Group for three years and nine months in World War II. After service he joined his father in the grocery business on Sylvan Road and obtained an LLB degree from John Marshall Law School in 1947. He had owned car dealerships beginning in 1965 and most recently Lewis Welch Oldsmobile at Southlake Mall in Morrow. He won many awards while contributing to the local community: Time Magazine Quality Dealer, 1986, MIC Insurance "Outstanding Agency" in 1982, and was Atlanta Metro Auto Dealers Assn. president in 1976. He enjoyed motorcycles, boating, bowling, swimming and vacationing with his family. He was member of New Hope Baptist Church and served as a member of its finance committee, as well as being one of the three trustees.

Services were at the Carl J. Mowell chapel with the Rev. Harold Reed officiating. Interment was at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, College Park. Survivors include his wife of 65 years, Evelyn Hornsby Welch, Fayetteville; a son, Lewis and Betty Welch III, Williamson; a daughter, Suzanne and Michael Evans, Fayetteville; grandchildren, Chris and Tracy Evans, Julie Clements, Sandi Welch, and Stephen Welch; great-grandchildren, Chase and Morgan Evans, Riley Clements, Zoe Clements, and Presley Clements; and sister, Gloria and Julius Rainwater, Conyers. Carl J. Mowell & Son Funeral Home, Fayetteville, was in charge.