Jackson Cody Welch's Obituary
Jackson Cody Welch July 7, 2006 – March 9, 2013Jackson Welch went to Heaven to be with his Father and Jesus on a Saturday evening. Any other Saturday evening, Jack would probably have been playing a video game in his room on his Wii, where he had the whole set up right where he could play at his leisure, or until mom or dad made him stop to rest his eyes or eat something. Jackson was really into the “Skylanders” series. He beat series I game in about 3 days last year when he got it for Christmas and was working on the Series II game he got this Christmas. He and his momma had spent the past 2 years collecting the Skylanders characters for both series and he had a huge collection he proudly displayed on his bookshelf. Sometimes he seemed to be more interested in the fantasy world in that game than he was in the real one. He liked calling himself a “gamer” even though dad wasn’t real fond of it. And that was a perfect analogy for a then five year old to make about himself, because he was! Since Jack was a baby, he was obsessed with and always playing with/grabbing for phones, any remote and all controllers in sight, ANYTHING WITH BUTTONS, as fast as you would think they were all out of reach, he’d find another one and have something reprogramed before you could get it out of his little hands. As he got older, his fascination grew into real skill and knowledge about things we as adults can’t figure out sometimes. He had figured out how to network his Wii with his daddy’s Netflix into his room, all by himself. His momma discovered him watching a cartoon one day that wasnt in his movie collection, asked him about it and he replied, “I watch movies on Netflix in my room like daddy but I can pick movies I like!”Jack loved superheroes. He was captain America for Halloween this year. He loved the hulk and Spider-Man too. For Christmas he had asked for all the Spider-Man getup. He had the mask the Spider-Man web Shooter that shot a silly string web with the sound affects to match! He loved putting on all his spidey gear and run and dash and climb all around the house and yard “shooting” webs just like Spider-man himself!He loved to go to school, but wasn’t fond of waking up early. He was learning to be self-sufficient and was such a big boy to be able to wake himself up with his alarm and get dressed for school, brush his hair and teeth, and fix himself a chocolate milk (breakfast was served at school). On the weekends, he loved being able to sleep in and be lazy with momma and daddy, those were some of the best times for their little family. They shared many fond memories during those “lazy weekend days” spent eating dry cereal even if it was noon, baking cupcakes or going to the park with momma and Josey, playing his video games or watching Scooby- doo with daddy. Whatever they did, jack made every moment they spent together a whole bunch of happy memories cherished today and always.A few years back, his momma went on a short trip to visit grandpa Jeff in Dallas. Jack wasn’t real excited about her not being there for a couple days, so to make him feel better, got him a Dalmatian beanie baby he named “Good-bye Puppy” he could hold and hug when he needed her until she returned. To this day, “Good-bye Puppy” remained a very special friend and was always somewhere close to Him. Now, “Good-bye Puppy” will do the same for momma when she misses Jack.It was difficult to know how Jack was feeling at times. You new he had to be sad, or mad, or just not feeling well sometimes, but he always had a quick smile, a happy hug, or a sweet kiss. It was impossible to stay angry at Jack. Thanks to Mrs. Zellers, with help from his parents, grandma’s and grandpa’s in his life, he was learning that sometimes the adults are the boss! He was learning that he couldn’t always go to his favorite center, that sometimes he had to give the others a try. He was learning to help others, to share, and take turns. He knew all of his letters and their sounds, his sight words, and could count to 100 and beyond. He could add, subtract, and even multiply in his head! He definitely had a math brain and was a developing artist. His favorite color was green, but always chose red shirts, if given a choice of what to wear. He used crayons, markers and colored pencils to draw and color butterflies, flowers, and rainbows for momma, and puppies, alligators and dragons for daddy. His young mind had a vivid imagination and made lots and lots of beautiful, now cherished artwork.Jack believed the world was a happy place. He loved dogs, especially his chocolate lab, Josey Wales.. She was his protector, companion, and bed partner every night. He and his dad had great fun adding to the menagerie at home. They lived among snakes, tarantulas, fresh and salt water fish, sugar gliders, lizards, frogs, and turtles. Jack named his 6 ft. Python, Snakey, and had Speedy, a fresh water mini turtle in an aquarium in his room he fed every day.Jack enjoyed playing “cowboys” with his best buddies, Ben and Brooks. Recently, his dad had bought him a set of walkie-talkies for he and Brooks. One for each of them. They were so excited to get to talk to each other anytime they wanted to! Unfortunately, they were just over the 3-mile distance and they couldn’t get them to work from home. We’re sure; however they would have found a future use for them!One would be completely remiss to not mention the special relationship between pat Mitchell and Jack. Jack spent many wonderful days at grandmas in Ada. On the daysides Granma had to work, Jack spent some of those days with pat. When Granma brought him early, pat would open up the covers and Jack would snuggle in for a little nap until it was time to settle in for a morning of cereal and cartoons. There was nothing Jack couldn’t do with pat! Whether he was sitting on the motorcycle or in pats king ranch, he would push every button, pull every lever, and you never knew what would happen when you started up the vehicle! Radios blared, wipers wiped, one couldn’t see in any direction. It was heaven on earth for him!Jack loved chocolate. Chocolate on chocolate. Chocolate cupcakes with 12 inches of chocolate frosting and piled high with chocolate sprinkles! I don’t ever remember a cake with jack around that didn’t have little finger trails in the frosting! His momma found some antique m & m dispensers at the thrift store one day and was hesitant to show them to Jackson in fear he’d be sure to want them in his room, in which, he did, so they spent the better part of an afternoon cleaning the little machines to carefully display on the shelves. He had already had an m&m gum ball machine dispenser to add to his new yet old collection. Despite moms idea of what his room should look like, he loved them, and they looked great according to him.He wasn’t afraid of anything, and loved everyone, especially his momma. He would tell her often that she was “the best, most beautiful momma ever”. He and his daddy were the best of friends, you saw love reflected in everything they did. Their little family had the tightest bond, despite some of the choices made at others discretion having unforseen results by forces beyond our control. Jack was a perfect reflection of forgiveness, love and trust we all strive for, but sometimes lose sight of when complication and chaos are presented in our lives. Jack would have wanted everyone to be forgiving of each other and happy, just as he always was.Their were many people that Jack loved and loved him back. He loved his Granma (mommas momma), his big sis and brother,Savannah , and Caleb, granpa and granny Janny, and uncle Wyatt, great Granpa Jackson along with many more family members from Arizona and Minnesota, he loved his great grandma and grandpa in Oklahoma City, and aunt Joyuncle Dwain,uncle Nate in the Air Force with Aunt Maggie and cousins Isaac, and Ryann his great Aunt Susan and cousin Kyle inTexas, all from his momma’s side. He loved his family here in Tulsa: his granma he called mom and grandpa Jeff and Pam, uncle J.C. cousins Chloe,and Connor and uncle Brandon, and his uncles in California and New York, he love his great aunt Karen and many more cousins and even more second cousins on his daddy’s side. He loved all of his family and friends, far too many to mention, but all equally loved. He never had the pleasure of meeting the newest member of his family, Paisley Ester, but no doubt, they would have been hard fast friends!The most difficult thing is concludin gJacks story. He lived each day with courage, perseverance, and enthusiasm. Every day was fresh and new, and he woke with a sense of adventure and anticipation,looking forward to what life would bring him. His life is not over. One needs to learn from Jacks perception of the world. There is nothing he would have loved more than his family working together as one, caring for each other, tolerant of one another’s faults, and over looking our differences and difficulties.So….Put on your red shirt, a happy smile, and take care of each other!
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