BAXTER H. WELLS SR.
Jan. 7, 1930-April 20, 2009
Baxter Hunter Wells Sr., 79, 102 E. Westwood Drive, died Monday at his home.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at First Presbyterian Church, 1101 E. Ash St., Goldsboro, with the Rev. Drew Clark and the Rev. Ryan Rasmussen officiating. Burial will be at 3 p.m. Thursday at Oak Ridge Memorial Park in Pink Hill.
Family will meet with friends in the church immediately following the memorial service.
Born Jan. 7, 1930, at Teachey in Duplin County, he was the second son of the five children of Hugh McAden Wells Sr. and Louise Helen Hunter Wells.
He graduated from B. F. Grady High School in Albertson in Duplin County. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Catawba College in Salisbury and a Master of Arts degree from East Carolina College in Greenville.
He was parks director in Kinston from 1955 to 1960, director of Parks and Recreation in Clinton from 1960 to 1965, director of Parks and Recreation in Goldsboro from 1965 to 1990 and president of North Carolina Recreation and Parks Society in 1970. He held other committee chairmanships and offices in the North Carolina Recreation and Park Society.
He had a master fellow certification and was a member of the Goldsboro Rotary Club and president from 1977 to 1978. He was a Paul Harris Fellow in 1979 and a member of the American Legion, Purple Heart, Boy Scouts as director of camp and sports activities. He was a 4-H club social activities director and a member of the VFW and AAU. He was on the National Recreation and Parks Association District Advisory Council for six years.
He was a life-long Presbyterian, a youth leader, a Sunday school teacher, Sunday school superintendent, chairman of the board of deacons, elder and a member of Presbyterian Camp and Conference to establish Camp Albermarle. His hobbies were fishing and gardening.
He was in the Marine Corps on active duty for two years and served in the Korean War. He was in the Ready Reserves for 10 years. He was awarded the Korea Medal with two stars, Purple Heart and United Nations and Korean War Service Medals.
He is survived by his wife, Alice Rogers Wells; daughters, Mitzi Lou and husband, Joe Rasberry, of Kinston and Lisa Ann and husband, Chuck Porter, of Cary; son, Baxter Hunter Wells Jr. and wife, Karen W. Wells, of Raleigh; grandchildren, Baxter Hunter Wells III, Lauren Ashley Porter, Olivia Jean Wells and Michael Richard Porter; brother, Donn A. Wells of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; sister, Connie Jo Wells Flory and husband, Roland Flory, of Cary; and sister-in-law, Catherine P. Wells of Charlotte.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, Hugh M. Wells Jr. and Alfred D. Wells, and his grandparents, Lucian Elonzo Wells and wife, Josephine Davis Ward Wells, and Baster J. Hunter and wife, Cornelia B. Hunter.
Memorials should be made to the charity of your choice or to First Presbyterian Church, 1101 E. Ash St., Goldsboro, N.C. 27530.
Arrangements are being handled by Pink Hill Funeral Home.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on April 21, 2009 1:55 PM