Darrell Wellik

We all lost a really good man on October 14th, 2022, when Darrell Wellik passed away quietly at home, of natural causes. Although, at age 75, he left us too soon, his years were filled with love, friendships, good works, and humor.

Darrell’s childhood was spent helping his parents and siblings run their family farm in Grand Meadow, Minnesota, where Darrell and both his brothers were high school football stars. Darrell studied business in college and he made accounting his first career.

In 1980 Darrell moved from Minnesota to San Diego as employee of Donovan Corporation to help oversee construction of the first stages of the San Diego Trolley line. Debbie Fitzpatrick (Wellik) soon joined him in San Diego and they were married in September of that year.

Once the trolley project was completed, Darrell and Debbie remained in El Cajon. Darrell continued his accounting career, with San Diego Precast Concrete. But Darrell’s lifelong interest in cars led him to start and run his own successful automotive businesses: 10-Minute Oil Change, East County Tire & Brake, and Advanced Automotive, where Darrell actively worked and greeted customers until the day before he passed away.

Darrell is survived by his beloved wife of 42 years, Debra Fitzpatrick Wellik, and by his daughters Stephani Wellik-Zautner and Tonia Tutewohl of Rosemount, Minnesota, son-in-law Paul Tutewohl, grandchildren Brandon Zautner and wife Karen, Brianna Zautner, and Jade Tutewohl, great-granddaughter Ava Hendrickson, siblings Wayne Wellik, Stephen Wellik (Trudy), Mary Wellik Link (Randy) and Kathy Wellik Behne (Jerry), a host of nieces and nephews, and pet Shih Tzu, “Bentley”.

A funeral mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 16, 2022, at St. Finbarr’s Catholic Church, 504 1st Street SW, Grand Meadow, MN. Visitation will be held from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the church prior to the mass. Burial will take place at St. Finbarr’s Catholic Cemetery immediately following the service.

Condolences may be left at www.Hindtfuneralhomes.com

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Alzheimer’s Association of Minnesota.