John B. Wells

1919 - 08

John B Wells, Wilsonville, OR, died January 5th, 2014 with Jane, his wife of 65 years, at his side. Born August 31, 1919 in Chattanooga TN to John Barnard Wells and Alice Snook Wells, John's family moved in 1922 to the family oil lease, later called Kern Sunset Oil Company (KSO), in Maricopa CA where his father became manager.

John attended A to Zed school in Berkeley, graduating June 1937. He studied business at Cal Berkeley, was a Chi Phi, rowed crew and joined ROTC.

John worked the oil lease starting in 1931, kept his hand in the now 110 year old family business and served as President from 2001 until his death. The "oil patch" was John's life blood; he was the last surviving grandson of the founders, and was honored in April, 2013 with a lifetime achievement award for contributions to the oil industry.

John was a US Army Air Corps Flying Cadet, received his wings and commission in December 1941 and, almost immediately reported to the 22nd Bomb Group at Muroc Lake, CA (Edwards AFB) to begin training in the B-26 Marauder. John was assigned to the 408th Squadron. In February 1942, the 22nd moved to Hawaii for further training. Their group holds distinction as the first twin engine land based bombers to ever fly the route from Honolulu to Australia. The 408th flew the first B-26 Marauder combat mission in the war, a successful attack on the Japanese base at Rabaul, New Britain Island April 5, 1942. Over 18 months of combat, the 408th and the other squadrons assigned to the 22nd, along with some help from the Aussies and others, stopped the Japanese advance on Australia earning three distinguished Unit Citations. In 1943, John, now a Captain, was assigned to Proving Ground Command in Florida. He completed his service in 1946 as Air Base Commander at Dugway, Utah.

After the war, John moved to Pasadena CA, and on a double date, he met Jane. John married Margaret Jane Campbell April 10, 1948 in Pasadena. In 1950, John began his career as a stockbroker with Dean Witter, rising to VP of Operations, Division Headquarters in Los Angeles, and Division Operation Officer by 1972. John opened an office of Newhard, Cook and Co. in 1976. He was President, Investment Division, California Federal Savings and Loan until 1984. John tried retirement, but that lasted about 6 weeks, so he continued with Prudential American Securities, Inc. in Pasadena until finally retiring on December 31, 2010 at age 91. He maintained a morning coffee group for decades, and later lunched and played dominoes daily at both the Valley Hunt Club and Annandale Golf Club.

John filled untold weekends duck hunting near the Salton Sea of the California desert. He hunted with a lifelong group of friends for more than 60 years, his last hunt at age 91. He once said of a duck blind: "No better place can be found". When not hunting, John could always rustle up a game of dominoes, particularly with this group. Because of him, all the family plays dominoes today.

John and Jane loved golf and played courses all over the world. John served as Annandale Golf Club President in 1981, then became a legendary SCGA volunteer, serving on countless committees, as a scoring and marshaling fixture at tournaments, and an instrumental contributor to the new Pace of Play Policy. John was a tremendous advocate for golf and took particular enjoyment in youngsters taking up the game. A nine year Board member from 1989, John was honored in 2003 with SCGA's Jim House Award for "dedicated service above and beyond the call." John served as a tournament marshal at The 2008 US Open, Torrey Pines.

John's vast civic involvement included: Long Beach: Rotary, Miss Universe Pageant, BBB President, Chamber of Commerce, Long Range Planning Board for the City, Bond Club, University Club President, and Chair of Founding Board of Old Ranch Country Club.

Pasadena: Rotary President, Chamber of Commerce President, LA County Cancer Foundation, Pasadena Planning Commission, Board of Visitors and Conventions Bureau, Chair of Citizen's Committee for Public Finance, passing and funding a new police building and jail construction.

John was a proud member of Sons of the Revolution, Society of California Pioneers, The Marauder Historical Society and the 22nd Bomb Group Association (WWII). In 1965, as an invited member of Defense Orientation Conference Association (DOCA), John toured US and foreign operations that included Pentagon and White House briefings. John and Jane were invited and attended the National WWII Memorial Dedication in Washington DC May, 2004.

John was integral to the continued Bomb Group Association reunions. In 2006, they published Revenge of the Red Raiders to which John contributed much. John gave interviews at WWII museums that are archived for future use. In September, 2012, as one of the last surviving original B-26 pilots who deployed with the 22nd to Australia, John represented them at Charter Towers, Queensland during Australia's "Victory in the Pacific" Heritage Festival, where a plaque was unveiled honoring the men of the 22nd Bombardment Group. John retired as Association President October 2013 at their 64th Reunion.

Along with many golf trips to Hawaii, Jane and John traveled extensively in the US, Canada, Mexico, Panama Canal, Bermuda, Peru, Japan, Taiwan, the South Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Scandinavia, Spain, Portugal, France, Greek Isles, and Adriatic states, with multiple visits to England and Scotland to visit much loved cousins.

John published two family history books that hold a treasure trove of life stories, letters, photos and memorabilia. Above all, John was a consummate family man, devoted husband, loving and involved father, doting grandfather and great grandfather. He was a man of uncommon integrity; he had a dry sense of humor and was an extraordinary storyteller. Predeceased by his sister, Marie Wells Erhard, John leaves his beloved wife, Jane, daughters, Debbie Boone (Mike) of Salem Oregon, Patty Thompson (Rob) of Portland Oregon, and Maggie Bentley (Peter) of Pasadena, grandchildren (Megan, Katie, Ashley, Heather, Craig, Peter, Tom and Alex), and great-grandchildren (Parker, Lilly, Audrey, Jack and Ryan). A Celebration of Life will be held April 6th, 11:00am at Annandale Golf Club, Pasadena, CA.

Donations may be made to The National Museum of the Pacific War, Admiral Nimitz Foundation, 328 E. Main Street, Fredericksburg, TX 78624, or online at www.pacificwarmuseum.org, "Donate Now" tab on right, list "In Memory of John Wells" in Comment section.

Also to SCGA Youth on Course, at www.scga.org/donate "In Memory" section.