Verne H. Welch

Verne H. Welch Jr., 78, passed away Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016, at his home in Council Bluffs. A native of Council Bluffs, he was the son of Verne Welch Sr. and Doris (Odenwalder) Welch. He grew up on the west side of the city where his mother ran Rite Way Cleaners and his father was a boilermaker for the Union Pacific Railroad. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1955. Shortly following his graduation, he left Council Bluffs to join the Navy. As he did with every endeavor, he gave it his all and soon became a naval intelligence expert, serving until 1968. As he transitioned from his military career, he moved from Los Angeles to Reno, Nevada, where he joined the management team at Harrahs Casino. After spending 15 years in various Harrahs locations from Lake Tahoe to Atlantic City and Las Vegas, he felt it was time to come home to Council Bluffs. He brought his knowledge and expertise of casino infrastructure to his home town where he worked with local leadership and legislators to eventually bring Harveys Casino to Council Bluffs. He played a key role in laying the foundation for how the casinos would operate as well as organizing their involvement in local philanthropy through the formation of the Iowa West Foundation. Over the past few decades the Iowa West Foundation has donated more than $300 million to the community. As senior vice president and general manager of Harrahs, he was instrumental in organizing the event that became known as Spirit of Courage. In 2001, Verne was nominated as the first Spirit of Courage Award recipient in recognition of his courageous battle with prostate cancer 1999. He was preceded in death by his parents, Verne H. Welch Sr. and Doris (Odenwalder) Welch; brother, E. Dusty Welch. He is survived by his son, Verne H. Welch III and his wife Susan; daughter, Debbie L. Welch and her husband Mitch Miller; grandchildren, Mark Welch, Jeff Markow, Christopher Welch and Sean Welch; and a host of other family and friends. He was a past president and active member of the Council Bluffs Noon Rotary Club and a member of American Legion Rainbow Post No. 2. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Hoy-Kilnoski Funeral Home. Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Hoy-Kilnoski Funeral Home with burial to follow in the Garner Township Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to the Jennie Edmundson Foundation, Childrens Square or First Christian Church