John Raymond "Ray" WELLS

WELLS,
John Raymond "Ray"
John Raymond Wells, 89, born to William and Florence Wells in River Rouge, MI, passed away January 29, 2015 in West Palm Beach having lived a full and rewarding life with great dignity even with Alzheimer's disease. We are grateful to the staff at Assisted Living of Palm Beach Gardens for their excellent loving care in the last 14 months of his life. Ray joined the US Navy in 1943 serving with the Air Corps. The time he spent stationed in Daytona inspired him to move to Lake Worth to raise his family. He and his wife Betty owned and operated a grocery store in Lantana for a short time before Ray began his 50 year plastering career during which he worked on many homes in Palm Beach and was specially skilled in detailed molding. In his leisure time Ray enjoyed fishing, walking on the beach and shelling, particularly at the Boynton Inlet and Sanibel Island, vegetable gardening, coin collecting and logic puzzles. He taught his children by example to be honest and hardworking and to enjoy the same simple pleasures. Ray and his life partner of 27 years, Anita Burgess were students of A Course in Miracles and lovingly lived the principles throughout their life together. Ray was loved by all who knew him and will be remembered as a quiet, unassuming man with a dry sense of humor and a twinkle in his eye. Ray is survived by Anita Burgess; son, John (Nancy) Wells; daughters, Barbara (Joe) de la Riva, Susan Wells and Kathy (Tony) Branco. He is also survived by grandsons, Sean de la Riva, Joe Mason, Nik Lytle and J.R. Wells; granddaughters, Andrea de la Riva, Mechele Carle, Amanda Mason, and Ashley Wells, great- granddaughters, Jenelle and Alicia Carle, Alexandra de la Riva and Kaela Strelec; wife, Betty Wells; sister, Gladys Stebbins and numerous nieces and nephews. Ray is predeceased by his sisters, Marguerite Gray and Elsie Saffold and brother, William G Wells. A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday March 1, 2015 at 2:00PM at Meridian Gardens Clubhouse, 3001 Meridian Way South, Palm Beach Gardens. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or Loggerhead Marine Life Center.

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