Kevin Welz, born December 15, 1954, dedicated 32 years to serve as a firefighter for the city of Springfield before retiring in 2017 and passing away on October 17, 2019.

Kevin was the youngest of eight who grew up in the Forest Park area of Springfield, Massachusetts, spending most of his time in the park itself. He attended Classical High School in the Class of 1973. He worked with his father for Uniroyal Tire in Chicopee, Massachusetts, before following his oldest brother Bernard into the fire service. This was only the beginning of his career. He joined the Springfield Fire Department in 1985 and selflessly served the city up until his retirement.

Aside from his passion for helping others, Kevin enjoyed traveling and seeing places he had never been. He was known for his love of the beach, camping, and skiing. He drove a tour bus for many years and would happily talk to anyone about any of these experiences. His passion for these things was always a huge part of who he was as a person, and anyone who knew him would agree.

As much as Kevin loved being a firefighter, his favorite role was being a husband, father, and grandfather. He was happily married to Anne Welz and was a wonderful father to Caity and Brendon Welz and his stepdaughter, Elizabeth Slater. He was “Poppi” to his granddaughters, Olivia Graves and Lily Slater, whom he adored. As a family, the thing he loved most was taking everyone on adventures and surprises, which were some of the best memories they made together.

One thing about Kevin Welz is that no matter who you were to him—family, friend, colleague, or even a stranger he had never met before—his presence made everyone feel as though they had known him for years. His funny personality and gift for making you feel seen and loved were undeniable.

Kevin will always be remembered as a loving and respected person. He changed so many lives and will forever be missed. Those who knew him were lucky enough to see his warm smile and know him as the funny and lively person he was.