Webb Funeral System

J. “Buddy” Welch Jr. was killed early Friday in an accident at a railroad crossing in the Cork community of Butts County where his family maintains a farm along the Ocmulgee River.Butts County Sheriff Gary Long confirmed that Welch, 73, was on an ATV at a railroad crossing at Mt. Pleasant Church Road when he was struck by a train at 7:33 a.m. Friday.“He was obviously hunting, based on what he was wearing and his gun and all that,” Long said.Long said there are no gate arms at the crossing where the incident occurred.The tracks at the crossing are operated by Norfolk Southern. The train was traveling south and had two locomotives and 18 rail cars, according to a spokeswoman with the Norfolk Southern Corporation. The railway has provided information to the Georgia State Patrol to conduct an investigation.GSP officials said Friday no charges are anticipated in connection with the accident.Welch is senior manager of the Smith Welch Webb & White law firm based in McDonough and has for decades represented a number of public sector clients, including the Henry County Board of Education, the city of Locust Grove, the Henry County Water Authority and the Butts County Board of Education. He also represented the city of Hampton for nearly two decades until this year, and the city of Stockbridge.His firm also represents the city of Jackson.Welch had served as the chief judge for the Juvenile Court of Henry County since 1975. The Henry County Judicial Center was dedicated in his honor in 2009.Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at McDonough Presbyterian Church. The family will receive friends on Tuesday from 1 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at Cannon Cleveland Funeral Directors.“We at Smith, Welch have suffered a devastating loss. Buddy Welch was more than our senior partner or our leader. He was a father, a friend, a mentor, and words cannot possibly express how much he will be missed,” the law firm said in a statement.“The outpouring from the community has been overwhelming and has only confirmed what we here... (jacksonprogress-argus)