John L. Wells
(1936 - 2019)
Obituary
John L. Wells, 83, went to heaven
surrounded by family on Sunday (Aug. 4, 2019). He was dedicated to
his wife, children, grandchildren and all of his family.
He was born April 29, 1936, in Houston,
to Frank and Gladys (Shofler) Wells. He grew up in Wichita and
attended Wichita North High School. He excelled in baseball and won
state championships in football and basketball. He earned a
bachelor's degree in Administration of Justice at Wichita State
University and later earned a master's degree in Family and Children
Counseling from SUNY Plattsburg.
John spent 20 years working for the St.
Francis Boy's Home in Ellsworth and Lake Placid, New York. He moved
back to Salina to become the Interim National Director of the St.
Francis Homes for Boys. He then became the Administrator of
Presbyterian Manor, a retirement community in Newton. Subsequently,
he was promoted to CEO of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America. He was
then recruited, in 1988, to be the CEO of a new project in Wichita;
Larksfield Place. He worked there until retirement in 2004.
In his retirement, he consulted for
many organizations and served on many Board of Directors whose
missions were dear to his heart, including St. Francis Academy and
Prairie View, Inc.
On June 11, 1955, he married Shirley
Ann Brock from Dodge City.
He is survived by his wife in Wichita;
a daughter, Cari Ann Owens, Tulsa, Oklahoma; a son, John Joseph
(Lora) Wells, Wichita; brother, Donald (Leslie) Wells, Summerfield,
Florida; and grandchildren Katelyn Owens, Morgan (Hayden) Stwalley
and Devin Greenway.
A Celebration of Life will be held at
11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, at Larksfield Place.
Memorials may be directed to St.
Francis Ministries, Salina or Larksfield Place, Wichita in care of
Kaufman Funeral Home, Halstead.
