Obituary of Cpt. Harrison Wells

Long time Ripley County resident passed away New Year's Eve after a short illness. He was born on the farm near Maynard, Ark. Harrison was the only son of G.W. Wells and Anna Wells (Wheatley). His family soon moved to a farm in the Pratt community during the 1920s. He was a 1940 graduate of Doniphan High School. Harrison joined the U.S. Navy at the start of WWII and served as a Navy pilot in the South Pacific throughout the war. After the war he continued his education at the University of Missouri (electrical engineering) while serving in the Navy Reserve until called back to active duty prior to the start of the Korean conflict. Harrison then proceeded to continue his career in the US Navy serving as a flight officer, electronics instructor and executive administrator until his retirement in 1968. Upon retirement from the US Navy, Harrison returned to Ripley County and his cattle farm in the Towles Community and took a position as the Personnel Manager of our local Vitronics plant, retiring again to his farm in 1978. Harrison was preceded in death by his parents and sisters, his wife Skip Wells (1923-1980 d.) and one son Donald Wells (1994 d). He is survived by his wife Shirley Wells (Silkwood), two sons, HD and Jan (Chappell) Wells II, Aubrey and Beth (Brunstrom) Wells, both of Doniphan and one stepson Mike and Sherry (LynnHoward) Shenberg of Cape Girardeau, MO. Two grandchildren Erin Wells and Matt Thompson of Austin, Texas and HD Wells III of Poplar Bluff, MO. Harrison & Shirley Wells traveled throughout Europe, South America and Australia in the eighties and nineties. Finally becoming Florida residents with a home in Big Pine Key, FL. Due to failing health they returned to Cape Girardeau, MO in the fall of 2013. Dad was the rock we stood on, the oak we leaned on, and the friend we could count on. We celebrate a life well lived. Visitation for Shirley and Harrison will be from 5-8 pm Friday at Edward's Funeral Home. Their funeral will be at 1:00 pm Saturday at First Church of God with the Rev. Larry Bashaw officiating. Burial will be at Bardley Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to one's favorite charity, Alzheimer's Research, http://www.alzfdn.org/ContributetoAFA/makeadonation.html or CMT Research, http://www.cmtfoundation.org/donate/donate-com-.html