Douglas Grant Welch was born to Lillie Pearl (Wiley) and Richard Raymond Welch on February 5, 1928 on the east side of the north room of their hand-built stone and mud house, which was located 17 1/2 miles west of Campo in Baca County in southeastern Colorado.
His father owned a sheep and cattle ranch, along with a few horses. He was the 4th of six children, and the first son.
Douglas married Ellen Anne Reynolds and they had six children. Douglas passed away June 1, 1996 in Lompoc, California, at 68 years of age. Douglas was married for 45 years to his wife, Ellen Anne Welch, who passed away in Quartz Hill, California, April 10, 2006.