Welk had many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. One of his sons, Lawrence Welk Jr., married fellow Lawrence Welk Show performer Tanya Falan they later divorced. Welk was married for 61 years, until his death in 1992, to Fern Renner (Aug– February 13, 2002), with whom he had three children. Since 1994, Kathy, Janet and, for the last 13 years, younger sister Mimi, have been performing, primarily at the Welk Resort Champagne Theatre in Branson, Mo. Which Lennon Sisters are still alive?ĭee Dee, 72, and Peggy, 71, are retired, but the Lennon Sisters are still harmonizing. Which Lawrence Welk performers have died?ĭick Dale, a singer best known for his appearances on the Lawrence Welk television program, died Friday in Algona, the Mason City Globe-Gazette has reported. … In fact, Lawrence Welk did not learn English until his early 20s, which explains the accent that became his trademark. Welk’s parents were immigrants from Alsace-Lorraine who spoke only German to the nine children they raised on their farm outside Strasburg, North Dakota. A few months later in the summer of 1968, she also became a member of Lawrence Welk’s own family when she married his son Larry, Jr. Tanya made her Welk show debut on New Year’s Eve 1967, and shortly afterwards was made a regular member of the cast.