David Wayne Wells

To David Wayne Wells, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For David, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. David really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

       His parents were Harvey and Lorena Wells. David was raised in Texas. Even as a child, David had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family.

      Always a good playmate, David was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, David managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. David was raised with one older brother, Bill and one older sister, Marlene.

      All of David's playful good humor carried over into his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, David experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. He took part in baseball and he was also a boy scout. In his spare time he liked comic books.

      Ask anyone who knew him from school and they would tell you that David was a class “cut-up.” He didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, David simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of his friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for David, grades may not have been the most important thing to him, but he really did enjoy his school experience. He enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” David graduated from Irving High School in 1954. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was Math.

      David reveled in his college years, where his imagination could run free. He was viewed by many of his classmates as being a creative, artistic person. David was usually found at the center of things, whether it was during class or in extracurricular activities. He was a jovial person who loved to share his passion for fun with others. But for David, life was not a case of all play and no work. David relished the task of putting his imagination to work in class. He was able to discover new and different ways of answering problems and creating unusual and different solutions. His favorite courses were Math, Algebra.

      David never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed David to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. David delighted in his role among all his acquaintances, because he viewed them all as potential spectators for his performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, David was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. David utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of his best friends were Johnny Pittman. Later in life, he became friends with Leon and Sarah. David loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

      The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made David very easy to approach. On September 1, 1956 David exchanged wedding vows with Edna Sue Hatten at First Christian Church of Brownwood, Texas. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

      Perhaps the reason David related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own children. David was blessed with two sons, Craig and Michael. They were also blessed with six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, Trae, Royce, Ashley, Brianne, C.J., Barrett, Brenden, Mercie, Kailey, Tyler, Liam, and Zoey. David had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. David's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, David had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

      At work, as in life, David was a real “people person.” He had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. David liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, David was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. David's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see David as an excellent problem solver. After graduating from Irving High School, David worked for General Telephone. He also went to work for the Grapevine-Colleyville School District at Bransford Elementary. He retired from AT&T in 1995 after 40 years of service to the company

      David was an United States Navy Veteran. He served his country honorably for 2 years as a sonar technician.

      David enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, David liked creating and making things. He enjoyed golf. David was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

      David felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he wasn’t the best, David loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. David relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, David never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. Recreational sports included golf and walking. David was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were football and baseball.

      Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, David recognized that his faith was important to him throughout his life. He was a member of Haltom City Christian Church for 42 years. He loved the Lord. He was an Elder at Haltom City Christian Church and enjoyed teaching the Kingdom Builders class for forty-two years, and he also preached at many funerals over the years.

      Living life in the fast lane suited David just fine. It is no surprise that he loved to travel and to visit new and different places. He was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. He was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included trips to Hawaii, Scotland, R.I., Caribbean Cruise, and Key West, Florida.

      David was a lover of animals and cherished his pets, enjoying them almost as much as he enjoyed being around other people. One of David's favorites was Burt.

      David believed that you had to experience life, and his life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 1995, David took it in stride as one more way to have fun. His new life involved relocating to Fort Worth, Texas. With his boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, David remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, he found new pleasure in golf, walking, and traveling. Even in retirement, David continued to stay in touch with his old friends and, since he'd never met a stranger, he made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

      David passed away on July 7, 2016 at his home in Fort Worth, Texas. David fought a courageous battle against diabetes. David is survived by his wife of sixty years, Sue Wells; Children: Craig Wells and his wife Kasey, Mike Wells and his wife Stacy; Grandchildren: Trae Clay and wife Amanda, Royce Wells and his wife Sara, Ashley Wells and partner Ramee, Brianne and husband Keith Huffstettler, C.J. Wells and Barrett Wells; Great-grandchildren Brenden, Mercie, Kailey, Tyler, Liam, and Zoey. Services were held at Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home Memorial Chapel in Colleyville, Texas. David was laid to rest in Bluebonet Hills Memorial Park in Colleyville, Texas.

      David brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. David Wayne Wells lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.