March 28, 2024

Clyde Richard Wells

Oct. 4, 2017

Clyde Richard Wells, 80, of Newton, went to be with the Lord, while surrounded by his loving family Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017, at Baxter Healthcare. As in Luke 5:24-25, the Lord commanded Richard to “pick up his mat and come Home, for you are healed” and Richard obeyed. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. The family will greet friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Memorials to Richard’s family maybe left at the funeral home.

Richard, the son of Lee and Pearl (Troxel) Wells, was born Feb. 26, 1937, in Maysville, Mo. He resided in California and Missouri, graduating from Albany (Missouri) High School in 1955. From 1955-1962, Richard served in the Army National Guard. Richard was united in marriage with Odilia “Delie” Durbin in Clyde, Mo., Nov. 7, 1959. They made their home in Newton, and were blessed with four sons and one daughter. Richard worked at the Parsons Company in Newton, and then at John Deere Des Moines Works in Ankeny, before medically retiring in 1989 with Guillain-Barre Syndrome.

Richard loved the Lord Jesus, the Bible and his fun loving wife. He was a member of the Community Heights Alliance Church in Newton. Richard witnessed to almost every person he came in contact with about the Lord, took children to the Awana program at church and hosted Bible studies and prayer meetings in his home. He loved his motorcycle, “4-wheeler” and John Deere Gator, as well as speeding, especially in his power wheelchair. Richard liked farming, fishing, hunting and mushrooming.

Richard is survived by his wife of almost 58 years, Delie of Newton; children, Alan Wells of Newton, David Wells (Millie Buckley and her family, Kavieyka, Eligh and Keyna) of Newton, Tim (Barb) Wells of Des Moines, Traci (John) Guthrie of Kellogg and Tony (Lisa) Wells of Powell, Ohio; grandchildren, Megan Wells of Newton, Natalie (Brandon) Guthrie of Oskaloosa and Matthew Guthrie of Kellogg; and great-granddaughter, Fayeanna Guthrie. Richard is also survived by two brothers, Raymond Wells of Bethany, Mo., and Dennis (Jacquetta) Wells of Manteca, Calif.; sister, Janet (Ken) Watts of Stockton, Calif.; brothers-in-law, Robert (Dorothy) Durbin of Montana, Cecil Durbin (Terri Maurer) of Montana and Francis (Rosalie) Durbin of Savannah, Mo.; sisters-in-law, Molly Wells of Eureka, Calif., Thelma Runyan of Wichita, Kan., and Betty Bright of Kearney, Mo; and his many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister and brother-in-law, Helen (Buzz) Hawthorne; brothers, Emmit and Wilbur Wells; sister-in-law, Dixie Wells; parents-in-law; four brothers-in-law; one sister-in-law; and a nephew, Curtis Hawthorne.

“God Be With You ‘Til We Meet Again” Richard, on those golden shores.