Ewell Ray Welch was born in Batesville, Independence County, Arkansas, on July 8, 1953. He was raised in Belleville, Yell County, Arkansas.
Welch attended the University of Arkansas College of Agriculture, where he was a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity and earned a bachelor's degree in plant pathology. In 1977 he graduated with a master's degree in agricultural economics.
After graduation Welch went to work for the Arkansas Farm Bureau as the director of their poultry division. He advanced through the organization to executive vice president in 2002, where he remained until 2013. He became the executive director of the Arkansas 4-H Foundation in 2016.
Welch has served on the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the Arkansas Future Farmers of America Foundation Board, and has been a member of the Arkansas State Fair executive committee.
#1: Composite image of early photo of Ewell R. Welch and still frame from Pryor Center video interview
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#2: Ewell Welch's relative, Mary Priscilla (Ray) Ferguson
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#3: Ewell Welch's maternal grandparents, John and Mae Martin, ca. 1930s
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#4: Ewell Welch's relatives: George and Rufus Welch, ca. 1930s
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#5: James Rufus Welch, ca. 1940s
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#6: Ewell Welch's parents, Opal Lavoy Martin and Ewell Ferguson Welch on their wedding day, December 24, 1946
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#7: Ewell Welch's father, Ewell Ferguson Welch
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#8: Ewell Welch's birth announcement and newborn wrist ID, 1953
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#9: Ewell Welch (front) with his sister, Jean, and father, Ewell, 1954
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#10: Ewell Welch (2nd from left) at his first birthday party with (from left) family friend, Modena Payne; sister, Jean; and cousins, Caroline and Jeff; July 1954
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#11: Ewell Welch, 1955
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#12: Ewell Welch (seated on left) on his third birthday with his sister, Jean, and cousins and friends, Ann, Caroline, Becky, Kose, Jeff, and Tooby; ca. 1956
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#13: Ewell Welch with his sister, Jean
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#14: Ewell Welch with his sister, Jean; Easter Sunday 1957
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#15: Ewell Welch on a horse with his sister, Jean Welch, and friend, Sandra Luther
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#16: Ewell Welch with his parents, Ewell and Opal Welch, Christmas 1958
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#17: Class picture with Mrs. Payne
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#18: School picture of Ewell Ray Welch
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#19: Ewell Ray Welch with his father, Ewell Welch, ca. 1959
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#20: Ewell Welch (front row from left) with cousin, Becky, and sister, Jean; (back row) cousins: Jeff, Ann, and Caroline; Belleville, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#21: Ewell Welch with his sister, Jean
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#22: Ewell Welch (l-r) with his cousin; maternal grandfather, John Martin; sister, Jean; and father, Ewell; ca. 1967
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#23: Ewell Welch at his high-school graduation, Havana, Arkansas, 1971
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#24: Ewell Welch, 1972
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#25: Ewell Welch (center) with his future wife, Deanna Willey, and sister-in-law, Beverly Miller
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#26: Ewell and Deanna Willey (Welch)
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#27: Ewell Welch and Deanna Willey (Welch) in college, 1973
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#28: Ewell and Deanna Willey Welch on their wedding day, 1974
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#29: Ewell and Deanna Welch (center) with her parents (left), Rose and Stewart Willey, and his parents, Ewell and Opal Lavoy Welch, 1974
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#30: Ewell and Deanna Welch leaving for their honeymoon, 1974
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#31: Ewell and Deanna Welch
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#32: Ewell and Deanna Welch with their son, Wesley
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#33: Ewell and Deanna Welch with their son, Wesley, at Christmas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#34: Ewell and Deanna Welch with their children, Natalie and Wesley, 1984
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#35: Ewell and Deanna Welch with their children, Wesley and Natalie
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#36: Ewell and Deanna Welch with their children, Wesley and Natalie
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#37: Ewell and Deanna Welch with their grandson, Tucker Sims
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#38: Ewell and Deanna Welch, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#39: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center video interview with Ewell R. Welch; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#40: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center video interview with Ewell R. Welch; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#41: Behind-the-scenes photo from Pryor Center video interview with Ewell R. Welch; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#42: Still frame from Pyror Center video interview with Ewell R. Welch; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#43: Still frame from Pyror Center video interview with Ewell R. Welch; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#44: Still frame from Pyror Center video interview with Ewell R. Welch; Little Rock, Arkansas, 2012
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
