Richard J. Wells

1931 - 2021

Richard J. Wells

1931-2021

A good, kind, caring and always funny man's soul entered paradise on October 24, 2021. Richard J. 'Dick' Wells, 90, of Bettendorf, died peacefully at Clarissa Cook Hospice House after a brief illness. Celebration of Life services will be at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at First Presbyterian Church of Davenport. Burial will be at Oakdale Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 4:00 to 7:00 on Monday, November 1, 2021 at Weerts Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church of Davenport or the Clarissa Cook Hospice House.

Richard Jordan Wells was born in Burlington, Iowa to Delbert and Elsey Wells (Gayer). He grew up in Davenport, graduating from Davenport High School in 1949, the University of Iowa in 1953 and the Iowa College of Law in 1956. He married Margaret Lou 'Peg' Milota in 1955. He served his country in the United States Air Force which included a tour of duty in Korea. Following his discharge, Dick moved his young family to Des Moines where he accepted a position as an Assistant U.S. District Attorney. In that capacity he prosecuted many criminal cases and had the privilege of arguing a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1960 the family moved back to Davenport where he embarked on a career in the private practice of law that spanned over 50 years, the last 30 of which were shared with his son, Doug. He excelled in residential real estate development with he and his partners developing much of northwest Davenport.

Despite his successful career, Dick always put family and friends first. He regularly attended his children's and grandchildren's numerous sporting events and extracurricular activities. He insisted on never missing a high school or college graduation as education was extremely important to him. He was a Boy Scout leader for McKinley School Troop 4 for almost 20 years and led many boys and young men on annual high adventure trips to the Canadian boundary waters.

Dick was an avid golfer. He played on his high school and college golf teams, and won or placed in numerous amateur tournaments. His one attempt at making the pro tour lasted about two weeks until he ran out of money and realized that maybe he wasn't quite as good as he had thought. He and Peg loved playing golf locally and around the country with the close friends they made in their 'golfing group.' Fishing was also a favorite way for Dick to bond with family and friends. His grandchildren loved to go fishing with 'Bompa' and would regularly beg him to do his infamous fish call. When asked how the fishing was, Dick would frequently respond, "The catching wasn't so good, but the fishing was great!" Dick loved gardening and would routinely deliver homegrown tomatoes, green beans and other vegetables to family and friends, sometimes to the point where people would hide to avoid getting that fourth bag of tomatoes. He enjoyed preparing holiday meals for the family and making his legendary homemade peanut brittle at Christmas time. His peanut brittle was in such high demand that even friends who professed to hating peanut brittle would ask for more of his. Dick was a big fan of the St. Louis Cardinals, the Chicago Bears and the Iowa Hawkeyes. He especially loved to follow Hawkeye Wrestling.

Dick was the consummate joke teller, punster and story teller. He could and would engage in a conversation with anyone and everyone he met. His recognizable laugh could be heard from across a crowded room.

Dick was a member of the Davenport Country Club, the Davenport Gyro Club and First Presbyterian Church of Davenport where he served as both a Deacon and an Elder.

Dick was preceded in death by his parents; his in-laws, Lew and Margaret Milota; a sister, Carolyn Wells Dauner; a brother, Gayer 'Bud' Wells; and his golf course walking buddies, Casey and Cooper. He is survived by the "love of (his) life," wife, Peg; his favorite oldest son, Doug (Ami) Wells, Davenport; his favorite second oldest son, Bob (Kim) Wells, Hudson, Ohio; his favorite daughter, Susie (Michael) Brooks, Sheboygan, Wisconsin ("Good thing for her she's my only daughter," he would joke); and his favorite youngest son, Steve (Kate) Wells, Davenport; grandsons: Chris Wells (Courtney Lorenz), Englewood, Colorado; Jordan (Sara) Wells, Arvada, Colorado; Tyler Wells, Hudson, Ohio; Jacob Wells, Iowa City; and Brennan Wells, Davenport; granddaughters: Maggie Villafuentes, Milwaukee; Carrie (Luke) Wempen, Clinton, Iowa; Emily (Nino) D'Amato, Milwaukee; Becky Villafuentes, Chicago; and Jenny Villafuentes, Milwaukee; a brother-in-law, Jack (Natalie) Dauner, Pinehurst, North Carolina; and three nephews: Tom, David and Jon Wells.

He didn't tell us how to live life. He lived it and allowed us to watch and learn.