Reeves H. Wells

Reeves H. Wells, 93, of 467 Morgan Road, Candler, died Thursday, June 19, 2003, in an Asheville hospital. Mr. Wells was born in Buncombe County and was a Navy veteran of WW II. He was a son of the late Jacob Herman and Lillian Mae McCracken Wells and was also preceded in death by a sister, Blanche Louise Wells Abrams and two brothers, Robert Edgar Wells and Glen Weaver Wells. A native of Sandy Mush, Mr. Wells completed the seventh grade in a one-room schoolhouse and went on to acquire degrees in education and law. He attended Leicester High School and Carson Newman College and majored in natural history and education at UNC-Chapel Hill. He taught night school at Asheville-Biltmore College (now UNC-Asheville) as well as in seven Buncombe County schools, including Reynolds High School and Hall Fletcher and West Buncombe Elementary Schools. He attended the Claude Love Law School and passed the bar exam in 1937 and began a highly successful part-time law practice until his retirement in 1998 at the age of 88. Following his retirement he became active as a certified lay speaker for the United Methodist Church, leading worship services in 115 different churches during a 30-year period. He was a member of Snow Hill United Methodist Church and served as a lay leader for the Asheville District. He was also a member of Gideons International. In 2002 he received a distinguished alumni award from UNC-Chapel Hill School of Education for his work as an educator. He is survived by his wife, Mae Cathey Wells; a son, R. Ronald Wells and his wife Julie W. Wells of Spokane, WA; two grandchildren, Gage and Spencer Stromberg; and a number of nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be at 4:00 pm Sunday at Snow Hill United Methodist Church with the Rev. Dr. Neil Haynes and the Rev. Wendell Brittain officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Active pallbearers will be Bert Abrams, Rick Meehan, Derrick Robinson, Ervin Cathey, Bill Hinson and Paul Cathey. Honorary pallbearers will be Bob Wells, Devere Lentz (and staff), Ervin Ball, Leroy Ray, Jim Martin, Jack Trexler, and all former students. His family will receive friends at the church one hour prior to the service. Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to Gideons International or to Snow Hill United Methodist Church Cemetery Fund or to ones favorite charity. Groce Funeral Home on Patton Avenue is in charge of the arrangements.