Former Herculaneum High teacher Allen Welker said he was happy to learn he would be inducted into the Jackson R-2 School District Hall of Fame.
Welker, 86, of Festus is a 1955 Jackson High School graduate. He is scheduled to be inducted into the Jackson district hall of fame on Friday, Oct. 21, as part of the school’s homecoming activities.
“I’ll go to the induction,” Welker said. “It’s a privilege to be inducted.”
For their homecoming football game, the Jackson Indians will take on the Festus Tigers at 7 p.m.
Welker is scheduled to be inducted into the hall of fame at a banquet prior to the game, and then the district will honor him again during the game’s halftime.
When Welker was a student at Jackson High, he was a star athlete on the football, basketball, baseball and track teams.
“I lettered in all the sports there for four years,” he said. “I didn’t have a favorite sport. I had excellent speed, which was a great asset to my success.”
Some of Welker’s athletic accomplishments at Jackson included winning the 440-yard dash at the state meet in 1955; being a part of the mile relay team that won the event at the state meet in 1955; and being a part of the Jackson 880-yard relay team that won the event at the state meet in 1952; captaining both the Indian football and basketball teams in 1955; leading the basketball team in scoring in 1954 and 1955; and winning the Jackson High Athlete of the Year Award for 1954.
After graduation, he went to Southeast Missouri State University, where he played on the school’s 1955 undefeated football team and was a four-year letterman on its track team, helping the track team win indoor and outdoor conference championships.
After college, Welker worked as a teacher and coach at Ava High School in Douglas County, where he won a football coach of the year award for his conference.
Later he taught and coached at Caruthersville High School in Pemiscot County, and after that he taught industrial education at Herculaneum High School.
“I retired from teaching in 1970 and went into real estate,” Welker said. “I’ve lived in Festus since 1967.”
He and his wife, Patricia, have been married for 63 years and have two daughters, Lisa Schnurr and Annette Ellenberger.
Schnurr said many family members will attend the festivities in Jackson honoring Welker.
“We have a big celebration planned,” she said. “We are so proud of him.”