Calvin Talmadge Wells Jr.

CHARLOTTE – Chip Wells filled his life with all the treasures that matter. As his family mourns his passing on March 15, 2015, after a long struggle with Parkinson’s disease, they also celebrate the deep faith that shaped everything he did. Chip used to say that a Christian must be prepared to pray and to die, and that he looked forward to one day being with the Lord. Chip would have appreciated the timing, being able to share his blessed assurance on this Easter weekend, and the peace it brought him until the end, at age 83.

Chip was born on Nov. 19, 1932, and grew up in Charlotte. After graduating from the old Central High School and then UNC-Chapel Hill, he began a successful career in business. He sold insurance, then trained as an actuary and became President and Chairman of the Board of Industrial Pension Consultants Inc. Ultimately, through IPC, he developed a successful business making decorative parts for the fireplace industry – brass trim, fire screens and the like.

But Chip knew riches beyond the workplace, for he put Christ and family first, and packed more passion into his days than most of us can only begin to imagine.

He became a born-again Christian at the age of 38, living out his faith at St. Giles Presbyterian Church and later Calvary Church. At Calvary, he helped bluegrass/gospel legend Arthur Smith teach his popular Sunday School class. Later, he joined Forest Hill Church. At every point in his journey, he did his best to share Christ’s love. A pilot, he flew himself to rallies at churches around the country, and shared his belief in the charismatic gift of healing. On a journey to Israel, he was baptized in the Jordan River. Among the ministries he served: Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International and Musical Ministries Inc.

And what fun he had!

Flying was a particular favorite. He was an avid scuba diver and wonderful underwater photographer, capturing beauty under the sea. He enjoyed fishing and stocked his backyard pond with brim and bass. He was an avid tennis player, devoured the newspaper funnies, had a joke for every subject, never forgot a Bible verse or song lyric and kept records of everything, for fear of forgetting something worth sharing, such was his zest for life. Everyone was family to Chip, including those who worked for him. Stories abound of him buying a Christmas tree for a single mom and her family, or groceries for an employee in need. These secret acts of kindness are worth recognizing at his passing.

Chip also served his country as a corporal in the U.S. Army from 1956-58.

He is survived by his wife, Betty, the former Elizabeth “Betty” Williams, who taught kindergarten at Charlotte Country Day for years; three children from his first wife, Fayrene – Karin Hughes and her husband, Peter, of Manassas, Va.; Dr. Paul Wells of Charlotte; and Dr. Leslie Wells Carnes and her husband, Ken, of Cornelius. Chip also considered Betty’s child from a previous marriage his own – Laura Hunter and her husband, Ralph, of Charlotte. He adored his seven grandchildren, and they him – Bradley, Ryan, Jamie and Alexis Hughes, and Owen, Parks and Liza Hunter.

A service to celebrate his life will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, March 31, at Forest Hill Church, 7224 Park Road, led by Revs. Robbi Fischer and Marty McCarthy.

A gift in his honor can be made to Dunklin Memorial Camp, 3342 SW Hosanah Lane, Okeechobee, Fla. 34974; Andrew Wommack Ministries, P.O. Box 3333, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80934-3333; or Forest Hill Church, 7224 Park Road, Charlotte, N.C. 28210.

The family is grateful for the love and care shown by the medical staff at Carolinas HealthCare System Pineville, Sharon Towers Health Care Center, and Charlotte Hospice & Palliative Care. Also, the family is most appreciative of the devotion of the home caregivers, Emily Watson and Conrad and Brenda Scheepers.

For the last eight years of his life, Chip endured Parkinson’s disease with a grace inspired by his belief that he would one day be restored to full health, in heaven. At the end, it was just Chip and Betty by his bedside. She took his hand and told him how much she’d miss his voice because it made her and so many others happy. He was at peace, she said.