Wesley M. "Red" Wakefield

WELLSVILLE - Wesley M. "Red" Wakefield, formerly of Cuba, passed away on Friday (Nov. 3, 2017) in the Wellsville Manor Hills, following a lengthy illness.

Wesley was born on Feb. 13, 1923, in Chautauqua, Kan., the son of Harry and Leila Miller Wakefield. In June of 1946, he married his loving wife, Eleanor "June" Reisman, who predeceased him in 1959.

Wesley's family lived in Kansas until he was 14 years of age. They then moved to Cuba, where Wesley went to school and graduated in 1941. While he was in high school, he played varsity football and basketball on championship teams.

On July 19, 1941, Wesley enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces. In September of 1942, he was sent to the European theater of World War II. Wesley was then sent in to the invasion of North Africa. His unit served all the way across North Africa, then to Sardinia, Corsica, on to Naples and all the way north through Italy to Rome, where they were stationed when the war ended in 1945.

In Sept. of 1945, Wesley entered Alfred College, where he met his future wife. He never returned to college as he had started a family.

During the following years, Wesley worked doing a number of things, building houses, cutting timber, operating a garage, working on the railroads, farms and in plants.

At this time Wesley and his wife had four children; Steven, Debby, Kathy and Randy. In 1959, Wesley's wife, June, was struck by another car and killed while driving.

In 1961, Wesley purchased Olive Crest Park at Cuba Lake, which he operated until 1973. He tore down the pavilion and did away with the park at that time. Wesley sold the lake lots that the pavilion and park were on. While he owned Olive Crest Park, he built a place in Allegany, which was known as "The Spot." Wesley operated that for three years during the winter, as Olive Crest Park was open only during the summer.

He sold "The Spot" to the Allegany American Legion, and went into the excavating business. Wesley also bought houses and went into the rental business. He did away with the excavating business in 2006. During these years, he met and married Judy McKinley, and a child, Kelly, was born.

Wesley was a member of the Cuba American Legion Post No. 655 and the Cuba VFW.

He loved to fly his "ultra-lights."

Wesley is survived by five children, Debby L. (Curtiss) Hamilton of Cuba, Steven W. (Doreen) Wakefield of Calif., Kathy G. (Don) Sciotti of Scio, Randy B. Wakefield of Calif. and Kelly J. Wilber of Allegany; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; one sister, Zora Mae Wysocki of Portville; and many nieces and nephews.

Along with his loving wife, June, Wesley was predeceased by eight brothers and sisters.

Friends will be received from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday (Nov. 8, 2017) at the Letro-McIntosh-Spink Funeral Home, Inc., 24 Genesee Pkwy, Cuba, at which time a funeral service will be held. The Rev. Millard C. Cook, Interim Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Olean, will officiate. Burial will be in the Cuba Cemetery.

Online condolences may be made at www.LetroMcIntoshSpink FuneralHome.com.