Mr. Mitchell Ewart Wells

COLUMBIA - Funeral service for Mitchell Ewart Wells, 76, will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, October 9, 2015, at First Presbyterian Church. Burial will be private. A reception will be held at the church in Jackson Hall following the service. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family. Mr. Wells died Tuesday, October 6, 2015. Born in Dallas, Texas, he was a son of the late Mitchell Preston Wells and Hildegarde Ewart Wells. He was a 1961 Clemson University graduate with a degree in Ceramic Engineering. While at Clemson he was affiliated with the American Ceramic Society, Pershing Riffles, TAPS and the Staff Central Dance Association. After graduation, Mr. Wells served aboard the U.S.S. Mitscher in the U.S. Navy and completed OCS school in Newport, R.I. While stationed in Newport, he met Ann O’Neil and they were married in 1966. Mr. Wells was Vice President of Engineering and Technical Services at Hanson Brick. He was responsible for environmental compliance, efficiency improvements, plant upgrades, and raw material management for all Hanson Brick facilities throughout North America. Mr. Wells was a member of Forest Lake Club and served on the management and membership committees. He was president of the HOBO Senior Golf Group and a member of First Presbyterian Church where he was involved with Men’s Sunday School Class and Thursday Morning Bible Fellowship. Mr. Wells was a founding member of The National Brick Research Center at Clemson University. He was a former chairman of the Executive Committee and a member of the Building Committee. Mr. Wells helped raise $2.8 million for the construction and equipment of The National Brick Research Center. His professional accomplishments and awards include The Directors Award from the National Brick Research Center in 1996 and a membership in the Thomas Green Clemson Academy of Engineers and Scientists in 2001. Surviving are his daughter, Kelly O’Neil Wells (John) of Columbia; son, Mitchell Ewart Wells, Jr. (Jennifer) of Mt. Pleasant; grandson, Mitchell Ewart Wells, III; sisters, Marcia Wells Jacocks (Charlie) of Columbia, Hilde Wells Slocum of News Braunfels Texas; and first cousins that were like brothers, Dr. John Anderson Wells, Jr. and William Buist Wells, Sr. He was predeceased by his wife, Ann Marie O’Neil; grandson, Frank Carman Wells; and cousin, Ames Haltiwanger Wells. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Clemson University Foundation in the name of Mitchell E. Wells for the Ceramic Engineering Department, P.O. Box 1889, Clemson, SC 29633 or Men’s Sunday School Class at First Presbyterian Church 1324 Marion Street, Columbia, SC 29201.