Lakeshore Public Schools has announced that longtime board member Mike Welch has passed away after a long illness.
According to Lakeshore, Welch began his tenure on the board in April of 2005. Welch was a 1981 graduate of Lakeshore High School, and was a major supporter of Lakeshore Public Schools and Southwest Michigan’s communities.
With the school system’s official statement came an outpouring of support from Welch’s colleagues within Lakeshore Public Schools:
“The Lakeshore Public Schools Board of Education, administration, staff, and students, along with the Lakeshore Community, will be forever grateful for the leadership, commitment, spirit, and inspiration Mike Welch provided to our schools and our community,” says Lakeshore Schools Superintendent Phil Freeman “As an alumnus, Board Member, parent, and benefactor, Mike exemplified Lancer Pride! He will be greatly missed.”
“It has been a true honor to serve on the school board with Mike,” said fellow School Board Member Mark Whitwam. “I always listened with interest to his perspective on various issues and learned a great deal from him. I’ve known Mike since high school and I’ve lost a good friend and so has this board, school district, and community. He will be so dearly missed.”
“Mike was a wonderful board colleague, student champion and consummate exemplar of servant leadership,” said Lakeshore School Board President Jason Beckrow. “We have been blessed at LPS by Mike’s contributions which will serve our district for years to come.”
Welch is survived by his wife Lisa, and their two children, Kara and Carter, both also Lakeshore graduates. Lakeshore’s official statement can be found on their website.
