Flying high above PK
Story by Steve Nussbaum | Photos by Erika Carter
Pictured above: Troy and Sherry Welch at their home in The Ranch
Possum Kingdom Lake has many beautiful lake properties, and every issue of PK Magazine features an iconic home. This issue shines the spotlight on the home of Troy and Sherry Welch.
Their beautiful home, located on the tallest peak in The Ranch, soars above the lake with panoramic views from the north end to the south end of Possum Kingdom. These iconic views can only be seen from the air – or from the back patio of the couple’s home. To the right, the north end of the lake is visible, where water is entering the lake from the Brazos River, and the view to the left features the cliffs adjacent to the Morris Sheppard Dam.
Not only do the Welches live high above PK, but Troy Welch is a pilot and loves to fly over PK in his helicopter and two vintage planes. He was a practicing attorney in Fort Worth, Texas, for several years before becoming a full-time corporate pilot. Sherry Welch, meanwhile, lived in Colleyville, Texas, and owned Renata Salon and Day Spa in nearby Grapevine. The salon is in a historic downtown Victorian home, and her daughter now runs it. Troy Welch still flies clients across the country, but the two have made PK their full-time residence.
Renata Hair Salon & Day Spa in Grapevine was the clue Troy
used to reach out to Sherry. Sherry’s daughter now runs this
unique salon and spa in the old Victorian home.
It was Sherry Welch’s salon that provided a clue that led to their first date in 2012.
Aviation is a huge part of Troy Welch’s life, and the skies have been a part of the couple’s story since day one. Twelve years ago, Sherry Welch was in New Jersey attending her son’s wedding, and she decided to take an earlier flight home. She was lucky enough to get rebooked, but was still in her wedding attire while boarding the flight.
On that same flight, Troy Welch was traveling back to Dallas from Italy, making the final leg of his journey. Sherry Welch was seated in a middle seat between two very large individuals, and Troy Welch had a whole row to himself in front of her. He invited her to sit in the empty seat next to him, and at first she was reluctant – but she did have a four-hour flight ahead of her, so she accepted his offer.
The two hit it off and talked for several hours, and the discussion included Sherry Welch’s spa in Grapevine. That information led to the clue that Troy Welch used to contact her once they landed, as he soon located the number for the business and gave her a call. Sherry Welch had been single for 30 years and was reluctant to meet for a date, but the two of them had seemed to hit it off on the flight, so she agreed to a meeting.
Troy and Sherry married at 41,000 feet in the air on their trip to Mexico.
The two eventually tied the knot in 2015 – and, just like their chance meeting back in 2012, their wedding took place on a plane. On a trip with friends and family to Mexico, Sherry Welch had all the men turn their heads while she shimmied into her wedding dress in the private plane, and the couple exchanged vows at 41,000 feet before she walked down the aisle.
In 2017, the Welches decided to purchase a lake property. They considered buying in Horseshoe Bay, but Troy Welch had a client who had a home at PK, and both of them had heard good things about the lake. They looked at many homes on the lake, and even thought about a condo at The Harbor before their real estate agent, Keith Hanssen, mentioned a unique home that wasn’t quite on the lake.
“I’m showing you a property whether you like it or not,” Hanssen said. “But I think you might like this house.”
Local Real Estate expert Keith Hanssen knew the Welch’s would love this mountain side home and Sherry immediately fell in love with the curb appeal of their home. –Photo by Jonathan Fowler of Possum Kingdom Real Estate
Hanssen drove them up the long winding road to a beautiful rustic home located at the top of the bluff, and Sherry Welch fell in love immediately with the curb appeal of the home and its isolated location. The expansive views sealed the deal.
The iconic view of Possum Kingdom Lake is what sold the Welch’s on their beautiful home.
A few weeks later, the couple moved into their new PK home and celebrated with family and friends. Their PK dwelling has been the site of many family gatherings since, and some of those soirees have included the couple’s famous friends. The Welches have hosted award-winning actor Robert Duvall several times at their PK home, and Treat Williams, an actor whose career has spanned half a century, also has been a guest there.
Troy and Sherry Welch love living at PK and feel like they have everything they need right here at Possum Kingdom Lake.
A portrait of Buster Welch, world famous cutting horse cowboy, hangs above the Welch’s fireplace.
The Welches and their famous acquaintances share a common interest in cutting horses, too. Troy Welch’s uncle Buster Welch was a famous cutting horse trainer, and he made a cameo appearance on the hit show “Yellowstone” just before his death in June 2022. The couple played hosts to his 90th birthday party, and Duvall stayed at their home.
Entertaining famous friends is great, Sherry Welch said, but she loves having the couple’s 15 grandchildren come visit even more.
Pictured above: Troy and Sherry Welch, along with their entire family in Mexico in 2015.
Not long after moving into the house, the two of them began the process of clearing the brush behind the home and building a pool along the back of the house. The pool and open space have made the breathtaking view even more spectacular.
Their home measures more than 3,700 square feet, with four bedrooms, four bathrooms, two living spaces and an office – and, like so many homes at PK, it’s all about the outdoor living. Sherry Welch said she enjoys sitting on her home’s front porch in the morning and watching the deer and birds. The side patio, with its outdoor fireplace, is also one of the couples’ favorite spots. The showstopper, though, is the pool view across the back of the home, where almost the entire lake is visible.
The main living space is open to the living room, dining room and kitchen, and features rustic ceiling beams and rock accents. Over the fireplace is a painting of Troy Welch’s famous uncle on a cutting horse.
The home is filled with aviation and western accents, and upstairs is a family room and game room for the grandchildren. The home has rustic wood plank floors, and one of Sherry Welch’s favorite rooms is the sitting space/office off the kitchen, where she said she loves to relax and read a good book.
Even though the couple’s home is isolated, the Welches said they still feel connected to the lake community. A short drive down the hill puts them in the middle of everything they need. Sherry Welch said she enjoys going to the Trading Post for groceries, as well as visiting the UPS Store and all the local restaurants.
“We really have it all,” she said.
Their favorite part about living at the lake is how gracious the community members have been to them since becoming full-time residents. The Welches said they feel they have more of a social life living at PK than they did when living in Colleyville, and they’ve enjoyed meeting the interesting people who also are living the Possum Kingdom Lake lifestyle.
The Welches can sometimes be seen buzzing over PK in Troy Welch’s helicopter or one of his vintage planes, and at other times they can be found enjoying the view high above the lake from their backyard patio. But no matter whether it was luck or divine intervention that brought the two of them together, one thing is certain: They are living the “high life” at PK.
