Roger Welsch, a widely famous storyteller, passed away on Friday at his home in Lincoln, Nebraska. Read on to know how did Roger Welsch die, what happened to him, and what was the cause of his death.
Welsch was best known as the spinner of tall tales about Nebraska and tractors. He was a beloved humorist, storyteller, and prominent Native activist.
Who was Roger Welsch?
Roger Welsch was born in 1936 in Lincoln to a family of German descent. He started his career as a German teacher at Nebraska Wesleyan University and then got his second graduate degree in folklore.
In 1971, Welsch started a 15-year-long stint at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He taught English and folklore there. He developed a strong relationship with Native people from his earliest days as a folklorist.
This led him to become the leader of the movement to reform the historical society and repatriate the remains. He was adopted by three Nebraska-rooted tribes- Omaha, Pawnee, and Oglala Sioux.
Welsch became known as “Captain Nebraska,” and as “Bull Buffalo Chief” in the Omaha Tribe. He was also named “White Wolf/ White Pawnee” in the Pawnee Tribe, and “His Medicine is Contrary” in the Oglala Sioux Tribe.
Welsch has told stories about his work, tribes, and about overall Nebraska in around 40 books, on television, and in newspaper and magazine columns. He presented “Postcards from Nebraska” on CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Kuralt.
The segments grew out of Welsch’s 1974 campaign for the Lancaster County Weed Control Authority and became must see television for 13 years. They made Welsch a sort of national celebrity.
After this stint, Welsch became a tractor mechanic. He discussed this in at least six books, most notably in “Everything I Know About Women I Learned from My Tractor.”
How did Roger Welsch die?
Robert Welsch died on Friday, September 30, 2022, at his home near Dannebrog. He announced on Tuesday that he was entering hospice care for kidney failure via Facebook.
The famous storyteller actually entered hospice care last Saturday and ended dialysis on Sunday. He had long-running problems in the kidney.
In his final post, Roger Welsch wrote on Facebook, “before I go to the great Facebook site over the Fourth Hill.”
“It said that every story has to have a beginning, middle, and end. We’ve been taking care of the first two, to a fare-thee-well, since I started telling stories around 1958. And the saga has taken one strange turn after another over the years, sometimes day by day, often to my total surprise. Those who write fiction know that the characters in a story wind up doing things that are not at all planned by the author. They just happen. And, my dear friends, that’s where I am now …
“I wish you all well and hope you enjoy at least half as many wonderful adventures as I have these past 85 years. You have been blessed with one life. Live it well. As my friend Vicki said to me when my brother Chuck Trimble died, ‘Now he knows the answers.’ I’ll let you know what I find out!”
Robert Welsch dead at 85: What was his Cause of death?
Robert Welsch died of kidney failure at the age of 85. He had been on dialysis for a long back which ended last Saturday and the storyteller went to hospice care on Sunday.
This past Friday, Welsch took his last breath and left for his heavenly abode. He died surrounded by his family members and loved people at his home.
Robert Welsch Funeral Details and Survivors
Details about Robert Welsch’s funeral will not be made public as there will be no memorial or public service for the late storyteller as per his final wishes. He asked that people should make donations to pet rescues and animal shelters in his memory instead of visiting him.
“He was a big dog lover,” his son Chris stated. “There’s a little dog here that’s going to be missing him a lot,” he added.
Roger Welsch is survived by his wife Linda (Hotovy) Welsch, children Chris, Jenny, Joyce, and Antonia, and youngest grandchild Henry Barlage. He also leaves behind relatives in Omaha, Pawnee, and Oglala Sioux tribes which includes his granddaughter Marissa Gilpen Winburn.
Our deepest condolences go out to the late legend. May God let his soul rest in peace.