Leo Fred Wells, Jr.

Leo Fred Wells, Jr. 95, of Valdosta, died Sunday, January 15, 2017 at Arbor Terrace of Johns Creek, Georgia where he had been in residence for a little over a year. Mr. Wells was born in Valdosta, Georgia on March 19, 1921 to the late Leo Fred Wells, Sr. and Orpa Lee Lawson Wells. Leo graduated from Valdosta High School in 1939 and attended the NYA School (National Youth Administration) in College Park, Georgia where he learned radio and aircraft maintenance skills. In 1940, Leo joined the National Guard – 121st Company 'G' Infantry, Ft. Jackson, South Carolina.

In 1941 Mr. Wells, moved to Jacksonville, Florida with Southern Railroad. Later that year he and a friend were hired by Pan American Airways with an assignment to Pan Am Headquarters in Accra, Ghana on Africa's Gold Coast. Here he flew C47 cargo planes from Accra to Kurachi India, one of three Pan Am routes across Africa. The same year, Mr. Wells accepted an Army Air Corp offer to Pan Am personnel and entered World War II as a 2nd Lieutenant. 1942 saw his promotion to lst Lieutenant and he became the Base Commander in Lagos, Nigeria.

In 1943, Mr. Wells came home to Valdosta on a 30 day furlough. Several years earlier he had been introduced to Mary Nell Johnson by his sister Jeanette. They had a ten day courtship and were married on Easter Sunday, April 25, 1943 at the home of her parents, Rufus R. Johnson and Bessie Mae Arnold Johnson in Clyattville, Georgia. A few days later, he traveled to Aden Arabia as Captain Leo F. Wells and then on to Elizabethville in the Belgium Congo as a liaison officer to the Belgium government. He later returned to Valdosta on his relocation route to Dallas, Texas, Love Field. Here he picked up Mary Nell and met their 10 month old son, Leo Fred Wells, III for the first time. They had their second son, Robert Kenyon Wells, at Love Field. They named him after a soldier and close friend from Valdosta who died in the war, Kenyon Miller. Major Leo F. Wells exited the armed forces in 1946 returning to Valdosta to become station manager for National Airlines at the Valdosta Airport. After completing Air Traffic Control School in Jacksonville, Florida he became the Southern Airways Station Manager in Valdosta. In 1952, he and Mary Nell bought the first Dairy Queen in the state of Georgia from Jim Cruikshank and opened a second store two years later. He added a miniature golf course behind the first store and the combination of the two caused it to become a favorite local hang-out for many years. In 1954, their daughter Debra was born. In 1965, Mr. Wells began working with the RAPCON at Moody Air Force Base.

Over the years the Dairy Queen received many state and national awards including the International Dairy Queen Service Award for 35 Years in the industry. Mr. Wells retired from the FAA in 1977 and in 1979 they sold their Valdosta Dairy Queen franchise.
Mr. Wells particularly loved the game of golf and joined the Valdosta Country Club in 1953 where he was a member for over 60 years and had 6 holes-in-one. His many other hobbies included orchid growing, photography, camping, tropical fish, computers, yard work, gardening and repairing almost anything. He and his wife became "Air Streamers" on retirement and traveled for over 20 years. He was self-taught in Spanish and would converse freely as they traveled throughout the Latin American countries. He was ever the learner, an avid reader and a constant planner of his next destination. Mr. Wells was a quiet man but had a great intellect and an unexpectedly dry sense of humor! He also loved beautiful music and was easily moved by it.

Mr. Wells was a life time member of the Church of Christ and has served in many capacities over the years. Central Church of Christ has been their church family for the last 25 years.
Mr. Wells is survived by his wife of 73 years, Mary Nell Wells of Valdosta and Johns Creek, Georgia; two sons, Leo (Angie) Wells, III of Alpharetta, GA and Kenyon (Cathy) Wells, Lexington, SC; one daughter, Debra Wells (Bill) Brown, Jr. of Valdosta; Grandchildren, Leo IV and Anna Wells, Cameron and Nicole Wells all of Cummings, GA; James and Kendall Wells Pickens of Batesburg, SC; JKenyon and Melanie Wells of Greenville, SC; Patrick and Sarah Bostwick Knapp of Houston, TX; Trey and Mary Wells Brown Smith of Nashville, TN; and Justin and Anna Haillie Brown Pennuell, Abilene, TX.
Thirteen great-grandchildren: Lucy and Jenna Wells; Thomas Stocks; Caroline and Sarah Pickens; Rosealeigh and Cashion Wells; Brandon, Aiden and Catie Grace Knapp; Fiona and G. (Glen Leslie Smith, IV) Smith; and Alice Pennuell; and a brother and sister in law, Robert A. (Bobby) and Glenda Wells of Statesboro, GA. He was preceded in death by his sister Jeanette Wells Bulgier and her son Danny and his sister Norma Clyde Wells Burton.

A Memorial Service for Leo Fred Wells, Jr. will be held on Sunday, February 5, 2017 at 3:00 p.m. in the sanctuary of Central Church of Christ, 304 E. Central Avenue, Valdosta, Georgia with John Klimko, Jr. officiating.


Funeral Home:
Carson McLane Funeral Home
2215 North Patterson Street
Valdosta, GA
US 31602