Welton Wyrick Jr. was born on December 24th, 1939 in Texarkana, Texas to Welton Wyrick and Lorene Love Wyrick. He graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1952 and received five scholarships. He chose Arkansas AM&N college and graduated with a B.S. in Health and Physical Education in 1962.

Welton Wyrick Jr. served three years in the U.S. Army as an 82nd airborne paratrooper and later office administrator. He was assigned to the division in North Carolina and was later assigned to the U.S.A.E United States Army, 8th Signal battalion in Bad Kreuznach, Germany. He was honorably discharged from Fort Hamilton New York, New York in 1965.

Welton Wyrick Jr. arrived in Los Angeles in August 1965 and became a Physical Education Teacher at Henry Clay Junior High School, in Los Angeles Unified School District.

In 1967, he was hired as a Recreation Director for Los Angeles City, Department of Recreation and Parks. After dedicating 30 years to his career, he retired in 1997.

Welton Wyrick Jr. met the love of his life, Gailye Harris Edmundson in 1968. They married on November 25th, 1970 and later had two daughters, Kristie Wyrick and Christina Wyrick. Gailye had two children from a previous marriage, Vanessa Edmundson and Darhyl Edmundson, he embraced them as his own. The family joined Church of the Open Door in Downtown Los Angeles in 1968.

Welton Wyrick Jr.’s soulmate Gailye Wyrick was called home in August 2002. Together they had 10 Grandchildren and 9 Great-Grandchildren.

10 Grandchildren: Welton Edmundson, Darhyl Edmundson Jr., Diamond Edmundson, Aujunae Edmundson, Darchella Edmundson, Valai Stettler, Vanisha Stettler, Akili Humphrey, Kira Humphrey and Aliyah Abdullah.

9 Great-grandchildren: Aureeyahn Edmundson, Jade Edmundson, Rhyl Edmundson, Rick Williams Jr., Dominic Adkins, Khari Adkins, Valencia Story and Ace Davis plus a great-grandbaby on the way.

Welton Wyrick Jr. spent the later years of his life with his two daughters and grandchildren between Georgia and Arizona until he was peacefully called home on May 21st, 2026.