Peter J. Welk

Peter J. Welk, passed away peacefully on August 30, 2025, with family at his side, hours before his 96th birthday.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, at 12:30 PM at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Bismarck, ND.

Visitation will be held on Monday, September 8, from 6:00 to 7:00 PM at Bismarck Funeral Home, with a Rosary and Vigil Service beginning at 7:00 PM. Visitation will continue at the church one hour prior to the service on Tuesday.

Peter was born August 31, 1929, in Rugby, North Dakota to August and Johanna (Sitter) Welk. He grew up in Minot graduating from St. Leo’s High School in 1947. He and a group of his closest friends joined the Army in June 1947 to November 1948 and again in September 1950 to December 1951. He graduated from Minot State College with a degree in Business Education in June 1954.

He joined Dakota National Bank (Wells Fargo) in June 1954. In January of 1959, Peter joined the Northwest Bancorporation Credit Department in Minneapolis as a credit analyst until returning to Dakota National in October 1960 as Vice President/Commercial Loans. He was a 1963 graduate of the Wisconsin School of Banking and a founding member of the Bismarck Chapter of the American Institute of Banking, completing and teaching a number of courses.

Peter began his employment with the Gold Seal Company in January 1969 as Treasurer. He was elected to the Board of Directors and named Vice President of Finance and Administration in March of 1974. This was a position he held until the company was sold in late 1986.

He served as Executive Director of Health Care United, Inc. from January 1987 to his retirement in May 1988. Health Care United played a leading role in the establishment of the Regional MRI Center as a joint venture in the medical community.

Peter married Beulah “Jo” Baker in October of 1954, and they had six children-3 girls and 3 boys. Jo passed away in October of 1963. Peter married Eileen Haider in May 1980.

He was active in the community as a volunteer with a long-term association with the Dakota Zoo where he served on the board as president, long time secretary and participated in the leadership of a number of fund drives. He was the recipient of the “Dakota Zoo Buffalo Award” in 1989 for going “Above and Beyond the Call of Duty” for the good of the Dakota Zoo. His community involvement included Bismarck Chambers, United Way Board, Urban Renewal Commission, YMCA Board of Trustees, Chair of the St. Mary’s High School Carnival Executive Committee, Cathedral Parish and Grade School Board, Chairman of the St. Alexius Medical Center Board. North Dakota Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, Med Center One and St. Alexius Hospice, Civic Arena Promotion, Inc., Charles Hall Youth Services Mentor, and Civic Center Advisory Committee. In 1998, he spent two weeks in Guatemala with the God’s Child Project. He was a member of the Bismarck Kiwanis Club, University of Mary Presidents Club, American Legion, AMVETS, Bismarck Elks and Cathedral of the Holy Spirit.

His involvement in the local running community started in the early 1970’s and he participated in over 250 road races. He ran his first marathon in New York at age 52 and his final marathon was in Bismarck at age 65 in 1994. This often is referred to as the hottest of all the Bismarck Marathons. He continued to participate in road races through 2005. He was inducted into the Bismarck YMCA Hall of Fame in 2005. He continued to “jog” the streets and trails of Bismarck in his “MR. BUBBLE” shirt for many years.

He was an avid Green Bay Packer fan and for many years made an annual trip to Green Bay for a game.

He is survived by his wife, Eileen; his five children, Kelli of Phoenix, James “Gus” of Fargo, Richard of Dickinson, Robert of Bismarck and Konni (Leroy) of Minneapolis; four grandchildren, Elizabeth Pickard of Indianapolis, Mandy (Jamie) Stephens of Phoenix, Hallie (Heath) Knuth of Bismarck, Xavier Vasquesz of Minneapolis; three great grandchildren, Mila, Robbie and Lena as well as many nieces and nephews.

Peter was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Jo; daughter, Kerri Anne Welk; sisters, Eleanor (Jim) Rainwater and Agatha (Richard) Ebenschweiger.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the donor’s choice.