My Tribute To Willis
by Susan Welker
Good evening my fellow Republicans. I am honored to tell you a little bit about my husband, Willis Welker. Forty-six years ago this month, I met my Willis - tall, dark, handsome, and at the time with hair I might add, and ever the PATRIOT.
Willis is proud to be an American and has always loved this country of ours. He is proud of our American heritage and has endeavored to protect it and our freedoms. He first served his country in the National Guard, and has always fulfilled one of our most important civic responsibilities –VOTE.
Through the years of providing a living for our family he wanted to be more involved in making a difference but hadn’t found a way. In 1999, Willis took the step of getting involved in party politics. He first started by going to Central Committee Meetings that were open to the public. In 2000, Willis was elected to serve as the Republican Precinct Committeeman for Precinct 39 in Bonneville County. Willis has served as the Vice Chairman of the Bonneville County Republican Central Committee, as well as Vice Chairman of Region 7 Republicans. In 2008, Willis managed and staffed the Republican Headquarters. Currently, Willis is the chairman of Legislative District 32 Republicans, a position he has held for the past few years.
Willis has held many positions in the party and filled many roles, from Precinct Committeeman to candidate for public office to party leadership. He has been recognized locally, regionally, and has even been appointed to the Idaho Republican Hall of Fame. But his greatest political honor came in 2009, when he was appointed to serve one week as a substitute State Senator in Boise.
For many years Willis could be found helping with the Lincoln Day Dinner, designing and physically building the fourth of July floats or helping with the Republican BBQ. Even though he has worked many hours to further the cause of the Republican Party, and has experienced both success and disappointment – victory and defeat, Willis has never wavered in his loyalty to our country and to this day I – as his wife, as a Republican, and as a citizen of the United States of America – am very grateful to him for always being an example of a true PATRIOT.
Thank you.
