Dan Johnson Wells was born in Yarnaby, Okla., on March 26, 1928, to Glover Delon and Josie Ella (Johnson) Wells.
He was married to Rheva Jo Nichols in Bonham, Texas, on April 10, 1948. They celebrated 73 years together.
After spending eight years employed at the Texas Engineering and Manufacturing Company in Grand Prairie, Texas, he and Rheva returned to Kemp, Okla. Dan spent the next 33 years working for the Pillsbury Company in Denison, Texas.
While with the Pillsbury Company, he designed and built several pieces of equipment which included a bag lifter and a lid separator. He built two more lid separators and took one to the New Albany, Ind., plant and one to the East Greenville, Pa., plant. Dan was honored in 1987 as the Pillsbury Employee of the Year and was honored with a cruise on Lake Texoma and a dinner at Tanglewood. He then built a lid placer which is at the Pillsbury Headquarters in Minneapolis, Minn.
Dan served several years as an elder of the Dayspring Church in Durant until health issues became a problem. He lived an exemplary Christian life showing Jesus to others in all he said and did. His family loved and honored him for many reasons, among them, his faith, patience, honesty and generosity.
Mr. Wells is survived by his wife, Rheva, of the home; sons, Dan Michael Wells of Canyon Lake, Texas, and Dr. Dwight Stephen Wells and wife Barbara of Durant, Okla.; granddaughters, Dawn Camille (Wells) Dellinger and husband Todd of Achille, Okla., Rachel (Wells) Lafleur and husband Lance of Lafayette, La., Karen Elizabeth (Wells) Christopher of Tyler, Texas; grandson, David Jason Wells and wife Amanda of Austin, Texas; great-grandchildren, Bret Austin Dellinger and wife Kaylie, of Kemp, Okla., Shelby Danielle Dellinger of Durant, Okla., Matthew Lafleur and Noelle Lafleur of Lafayette, La., Sophia Elizabeth Christopher and Andrew Bowen Christopher of Tyler, Texas; great-great granddaughters, Bexley Kayte Dellinger and soon to arrive, Kitt Austyn Dellinger of Kemp, Okla.. He is also survived by nephew, Jerry Wells and wife Barbara of Hobe Sound, Fla.; nieces, Dr. Friede Wells of Durant, Okla., Ruby Campbell of Benbrooke, Texas, and Cheryl Toftey and husband Bruce of Georgetown, Texas; several grand nieces and nephews including those of this area; Stanley Wells of Achille, Okla., Nancy (Wells) Hicks and husband Ben Roy of Durant, Okla., Ingrid (Wells) Cole and husband Adam of Durant, Okla., and Dr. Billy Wells and wife Leigh of Kemp, Okla.
Mr. Wells was preceded in death by his six brothers: Julius Stafford, Randall (Mike), Ornan Wallace, Glover Delon, Amos Edward (Jack), and Billy Wells; sister, Ruth Kathleen (Wells) Tinsley, and eight nephews and three nieces.
A memorial service is set for Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022, at 11 a.m. at Holmes-Coffey-Murray Funeral Home in Durant. Burial will be at a later date to be determined.