Obituary of William Orson Welles -- 2002

Contributed by Jeanette Corcoran

Transcribed by Glenn Fields





William Orson Welles Obituary



WILLIAM O. WELLES

KINSTON—William Orson Welles, 56, of 1431 Rusty Lee Road, died Friday, 
Sept. 20, 2002.  He was owner/operator of Welles Marine.  He was preceded 
in death by his father, J. C. Welles, Sr. and his brother J. C. Welles, Jr.  
Chapel services will be held at 2 p.m., Monday, Sept. 23, 2002, from the chapel 
of Garner Funeral Home with the Rev. Rick Vernon officiating.  Burial will follow 
in Pinelawn Memorial Park.  Survivors include his wife, Gaye Turner Welles of 
the home; his mother, Ida L. Welles of LaGrange; two sons, William Orson 
Welles, Jr. of Kinston and David Allen Welles of Kinston; his sisters, Betty W. 
Waters of Florida, Rebecca W. Colie of LaGrange, Diane W. Garris of Kinston; 
his granddaughter, Kimberly Marie Welles, many nieces and nephews and many, 
many friends.  The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. on Sunday and at 
other times at his home.  (Paid obituary)

Born March 30, 1946.  Deceased September 20, 2002
NOTE:  After his death, his wife, Gaye, explained that Orson had been named for the 
actor, Orson Welles.  At birth his family name was “Wells”.  As a young adult, he 
changed the spelling to “Welles” and added the “William”.

Lenoir County man killed in farm accident
Incident happened in Jones County
By Sandy Hall, Staff Writer
TRENTON—A Lenoir County man was killed Friday when he was pinned against the back 
of the tractor-trailer by a forklift while working at a Jones County farm.
Orson Welles, 56, died at the scene, said Jones County Sheriff’s Deputy Michael Whaley, 
who investigated the mishap.  No one was charged in the incident which occurred as workers
 were trying to place a tarp over a rig loaded with tobacco.
“It was just an accident—that’s what it looks like to me”, the deputy said.  “I don’t see any 
criminal negligence at this time.”
The incident happened around 10:40 a.m. at a farm off Vine Swamp Road between Trenton 
and Kinston.
Whaley said that Welles was standing behind the rig watching the workers placing the tarp 
over the loaded trailer.  Workers were using a Yale forklift to help them reach the top of the 
vehicle which was owned by a Newton Grove company, the deputy said.
At some point, the forklift, which had its engine running, was left unattended, and started to 
rolling toward Welles.  Welles, who had his back to the device, was pinned against the trailer 
by the forklift, which crushed his chest, Whaley said.
Workers immediately backed the forklift away from Welles, but he died at the scene. 



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