Fred J. Wells, 92, of Morgantown, passed away Sat., Feb. 18, 2023, at Sundale Nursing Home.
He was born Jan. 14, 1931, to Ocie Norene (Akers) and Fred Wells in Kaymoor, Fayette County.
Fred was a graduate of Fayetteville High School. He was a decorated veteran of the Korean War, having served in the U.S. Navy from 1951-55 aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Wasp. He attended West Virginia Tech and completed his bachelor’s degree at WVU. He held various managerial positions with Sears and Montgomery Ward throughout the Southeast. He later started his own business, Wells Home Improvement. As a result, no drive throughout Morgantown was complete without Fred, in his tour guide manner, pointing out homes where he’d remodeled a kitchen, built a deck or installed appliances, followed by the inevitable story that began, “The funny thing about that job was …”
He treasured time with his dear family and wife of 61 years, Glenna (Boles), who held his utmost respect and love. Fred cherished the innumerable lifelong friendships with Navy buddies, classmates and neighbors. He valued his wide circle of relatives and loved attending the annual Akers reunion to swap old stories and make new memories. He enjoyed woodworking, camping, hunting, fishing, gardening and tending his peach, apple and pawpaw trees. Fred was known for his storytelling, including adventurous tales of traipsing through New River Gorge with his boyhood pals, going hunting with cousins in his beloved West Virginia hills, sailing the seas and visiting foreign ports in the Navy. He often recollected the terrifying night the Wasp and USS Hobson collided in the Atlantic. Fred appreciated the many full years of his long, rich life.
His survivors include a daughter, Dawn Wells; son, Stuart Wells, his spouse, Bonnie Brown and their son, Clancy Wells; sister, Ramona Ann and her husband, Harold Goodman; and six nieces and nephews and their families.
Fred was preceded in death by his wife, Glenna, in 2019; his parents; their infant son, Charles; his brother, Dick; in-laws, Daisy (Steele) and Roy Boles; sisters-in-law, Pearl “Jerry” (Boles) Shimer and Ina (Boles) Dotson Hartman; and brothers-in-law Ronald Shimer, Charles Dotson and Glenn Hartman.
Fred’s family thanks his health care teams at Mon Health Medical Center and the V.A. clinics in Clarksburg and Morgantown, the caring staffs at Sundale and Amedisys Hospice and all who offered their kindness, support and prayers during these past few months of illness.
Friends may call at the Harner Chapel United Methodist Church, 100 Luckey Lane, Morgantown, from noon until the time of the memorial service at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25, with Pastor Steven Lightner and the Rev. Lynda Masters co-officiating.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Fred’s memory to Operation Welcome Home, a veteran support organization in Morgantown: https://welcomehomewv.com/support/.
Smith Funeral & Cremation Care of Westover/Morgantown is providing care and guidance to the family.
Condolences:
www.smithfcc.com
