Mr. Paul Edward Welder

On Wednesday, January 8, 2020 Paul Edward Welder, 61 of Surrey, B.C., passed away after battling an aggressive form of cancer. Supported throughout by family, Paul’s ‘peaceful resolve’ was shared with his wife Iona, the love of his life and their three sons Chase, Kyle, and Bryce.

Paul was born September 2nd, 1958 in Trail B.C. Circumstances of the day took Paul on an ‘adoptive’ journey that brought him to Kelowna where he was embraced and loved by his adoptive parents Joe and Mary Welder.

The Welder’s known for their prowess in Kelowna’s baseball community soon fueled Paul’s passion for baseball and along with his father and coach Joe represented Kelowna at the Southern Interior Little League Tournament which included his birth town Canadian Champions Trail.

Paul spent most of his youth honing his athletic skills and building friendships along the way. For Paul his sports became a metaphor for life, in raising his family and building his highly successful business Centre Point Enterprises.

Soon after Paul’s 32nd birthday on September 23, 1992, an ‘unknown sister’ wrote a courageous and endearing letter to Paul’s adoptive mother Mary, requesting her consent for Paul to meet his birth mother, brothers and sisters. The ‘unknown sister’ had known since she was 15 from her mother that giving up Paul was the hardest decision of her life.

Mary and Joe secure in their love and relationship with Paul unconditionally stepped aside for Paul to pursued his wishes. In Paul’s own words upon meeting his birth mother and husband, “I was so moved. I knew then what was ahead of me would be one of the most positive and loving experiences.

People say that God works in mysterious ways, but I never thought he would bless me in this way”.

Paul’s story is more than a Tale of Two Families. It was about ‘the grace of God’ manifesting the love given freely by his adoptive parents, and the love of his mother of origin who never gave her son up in her heart.

Paul is survived by his wife Iona, their three sons, Chase Welder, Kyle Welder and Bryce Welder. Five grandchildren, Nevaeh, Ayden, Carter, Shea and Claire. Daughters in-law, Danielle Welder, Alicia Welder and Sady Welder, his mother, Mary Welder (Joe Welder deceased) and siblings Lloyd Welder, Pam Price, Jody Dekker and Karen Weninger; his birth mother, Maureen Corrado and birth siblings, Peter Corrado, Bridget Ferraro, Sheila Bertolucci, Patrick Corrado and Christine Macasso and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.

The Prayer Vigil will be held at 5:00 pm Thursday, January 16th,2020 and the Funeral mass will be celebrated at 1:00 pm Friday, January 17, 2020

at St. Mathew’s R.C. Parish on 16079 88th Avenue, Surrey BC

A Family Internment will occur in Kelowna at a later date. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy maybe shared at www.dignitymemorial.com