John W.  “Johnny” Welsher, 57, of  Orchard Street, Osceola, Ind. and formerly of Niles, died at 3 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2009, unexpectedly, but of natural causes.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, Aug. 27, at 7:30 p.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with Pastor Dale A. Moore of Open Bible Baptist Church, Elkhart, Ind.

Burial will be at Mission Hills Memorial Gardens in Niles.

Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, at the funeral home.

He was born on Oct. 18, 1951, in Niles, to Jack Jay Welsher and Esther Louise Olinghouse.

He grew up in the Barron Lake community and graduated from Niles High School.
He was employed for 13 years at Performance Painting, Elkhart, Ind.

Johnny was a fan of the Chicago Bears football team and of NASCAR automobile racing, with a special interest in driver No. 24, Jeff Gordon.

He was also a talented participant in area trivia events.

He was preceded in death by his father, Jack Welsher and a brother, who died in 1983.
His surviving family includes his mother, Esther Brooks of South Bend, Ind.; a sister, Julia Welsher-Upchurch of Osceola, Ind.; two nieces and one nephew and several great-nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders.
Arrangements were by Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.