Robert (Bob) Louis Welle, 91, of Collinsville, Illinois, born August 6, 1927 passed away on January 2, 2019. Bob married Lois Anne Zike on January 13, 1951. They were married 50 years until her death on January 29, 2001. They had 13 children together.

Bob entered the Navy at age 17 and served from 1945-1946.  He retired from Granite City Steel in 1988 after 40 years. He was a member of SS. Peter and Paul Church his entire life and after his retirement attended Mass on a daily basis.  One of his greatest thrills in life was watching football. He was an avid fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and then the St. Louis Rams. Bob also was an avid walker; he loved to walk on Vandalia Street and the grounds of Woodland Park, sometimes walking up to 6 miles per day. Bob loved to watch the news and keep up with politics and current events.

Bob is preceded in death by his loving wife, Lois Anne, his parents, Leo Wendlin Welle and Julia Lucille Krite Welle and son, Joseph Richard Welle and brother, Richard (Marilyn) Welle.  He is survived by his wife, Eileen Hobell Welle and his twelve children:  Bobbie (Don) Nicoloff, Steve (Linda) Welle, Jim (Jennifer) Welle, John (Evelyn) Welle, Rick (Kim) Welle, Mary Kalicki, Ann (John) Winn, Barb (Ron) Laudel, Joan Bone, Ken (Letitia) Welle, Mark (Tammy) Welle and Chris Tilson.  He is also survived by his step-children, Carolyn (Dave) Woodward, Marilyn (Gary) Jung, Teresa (Tim) Mabry, forty grandchildren and thirty great-grandchildren.

Bob will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Visitation will be Monday, January 7, 2019 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Collinsville followed by a funeral mass at 11:00 a.m.

Interment will follow in SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery in Collinsville.

Memorials may be made to SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Collinsville.