Christopher "Chris" Welle

Christopher D. “Chris” Welle, age 43 of Freeport, passed away from injuries sustained in a construction accident on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 at North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christan Burial willl be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 2 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Freeport with Rev. Daniel Walz officiating. Inurnment will be in the parish cemetery at a later date.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose and from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Tuesday at the church. 

Christopher David Welle was born April 26, 1981 in Melrose, Minnesota to Dave and Kathy (Pohlmann) Welle. He attended Sacred Heart School in Freeport. As a young man, he learned the value of a hard day’s work on his parent’s farm. He graduated from Melrose High School in 1999. After graduation, Chris graduated from Ridgewater College in Hutchinson in 2000. Chris worked for several dairy farmers in the area. Eventually his direction in life would change after he worked construction with his uncle and other construction crews before venturing out and starting his own construction business. 

Chris enjoyed watching sports of any kind, but he especially loved playing fastpitch softball. When his body started telling him not to play so much, he was still found at the ballpark enjoying the games, having a beer and advising and encouraging whenever he could. Most recently, Foosball became his game of choice. Chris also loved spending time with his daughter, taking her out to eat and catching up with her and is proud of the beautiful young woman she has become.

Chris is survived by his daughter, Chantel Welle of Sartell; parents, Dave and Kathy Welle of Freeport; brothers, Peter (Anne) of Freeport, Andy (Nicole) of Freeport, Joel (Sara) of Albany, Ryan (Amalia) of Byron, Tim (Sarah) of Rochester, and Kevin (significant other, Kelly) Welle of Waite Park; and many nieces and nephews.

Chris was preceded in death by his grandparents, Nick and Mona Welle and Lawrence and Irene Pohlmann.