Charles Burl "Chuck" Welke ( ; May 27, 1953 – May 11, 2021) was an American politician and who served as a Democratic member of the

South Dakota Senate The Senate is the upper house of the South Dakota Legislature. It consists of 35 members, one representing each legislative district; it meets at the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre. Composition :''92nd Legislature (2019)'' Officers Li ...

representing District 2 from 2013 to 2015.

Biography

Charles Burl Welke was born in

Redfield, South Dakota Redfield is a city in and the county seat of Spink County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 2,214 at the 2020 census. The city was named for J. B. Redfield, a railroad official. Geography Redfield is located at . According to th ...

and graduated from Redfield High School in 1971. He received his bachelor of science degree in secondary education and his master's degree in secondary administration from

Northern State University Northern State University (NSU) is a public university in Aberdeen, South Dakota. NSU is governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents and offers 45 bachelor's degrees, 53 minors, six associate degrees, 16 pre-professional programs, 23 certif ...

Aberdeen, South Dakota Aberdeen (Lakota language, Lakota: ''Ablíla'') is a city in and the county seat of Brown County, South Dakota, Brown County, South Dakota, United States, located approximately northeast of Pierre, South Dakota, Pierre. The city population was 2 ...

. He taught at the high school in

Harrold, South Dakota Harrold is a town in Hughes County, South Dakota, United States. It is part of the Pierre, South Dakota Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 101 at the 2020 census. History The first settlement at Harrold was made in 1881. A post o ...

until 1977 and then taught at the high school in

Warner, South Dakota Warner is a town in Brown County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 485 at the 2020 census. History The town's name is derived from Warren Tarbox, a pioneer settler. Geography Warner is located at . According to the United State ...

. Welke retired in 2021 and was a substitute teacher.

Elections

*2012 When incumbent District 2 Republican Senator Jim Hundstad was

term limit A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms an officeholder may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method of curbing the potenti ...

ed and left the Legislature, Welke was unopposed for the June 5, 2012 Democratic Primary and won the November 6, 2012 General election with 5,441 votes (51.4%) against incumbent

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

Senator

Art Fryslie Arthur Eugene Fryslie (born October 25, 1940) was an American farmer and politician. From Willow Lake, South Dakota, Fryslie graduated from Vienna High School in Vienna, South Dakota and went to South Dakota State University. Fryslie was a farme ...

, who had been redistricted from District 6.

Death

He died after a heart attack at the Avera Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on May 11, 2021, at age 67.Charles Burl "Chuck" Welke-obituary
/ref>

References

External links

Official page
at the

South Dakota Legislature The South Dakota State Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of South Dakota. It is a bicameral legislative body, consisting of the South Dakota Senate, which has 35 members, and the South Dakota House of Representatives, which ...

* 1953 births 2021 deaths People from Redfield, South Dakota People from Brown County, South Dakota Northern State University alumni Schoolteachers from South Dakota Democratic Party South Dakota state senators {{SouthDakota-politician-stub