Michael Charles Wells

Michael Charles Wells passed away peacefully at his home in Fort Payne, surrounded by his family on September 3, 2020. He was born on July 17, 1944 in St. Louis Missouri. His family moved to Birmingham, Alabama, where he attended Blessed Sacrament School and John Carroll High School, then moved to Cullman, Alabama where he attended St. Bernard Prep School, graduating from Cullman High School. He received a B.A. degree in Business Administration from St. Bernard College, with later certification in Geographic Information Systems from Lawson State Community College.

In Cullman, he was active in both church and community life serving as Boy Scout Leader and was awarded Order of the Arrow. Following college graduation, he used his business degree and began his career in computers at King Pharr Canning Operation. King Pharr transferred him to the South Alabama operation in Uniontown, overseeing warehouse, financial and labor phases of the business. He lived in Marion Alabama, where he met Elizabeth Crabtree, whom he married in March 1975. The couple moved to Vestavia Hills in 1975 when King Pharr Company closed.

Michael began work at Grey Printing, as office manager and installed the company’s first computer system. Michael began his twenty-five-year career at Alabama Power/Southern Company developing and designing both mainframe and PC based systems; he retired as a Senior Lead Analyst in 2000. His next career move was with Blue Cross Blue Shield, which enabled him to work as Senior Statistician for Cahaba Government Benefits Administration, retiring in 2015.

While living in Vestavia Hills, he was an active member of Vestavia hills Baptist Church serving as a deacon, working with the college ministry, and leading and developing the audio/visual committee. In the community he was the announcer for recreation league softball games and later coached softball; he advocated bringing in a new housing development for his neighborhood.

Michael was passionate about history and archeology. He served as President of the Alabama Archeological Society and Birmingham Genealogical Society. He was Secretary of the Alabama Genealogical Society. He was active on the local, state, and national levels of Sons of the American Revolution. He served as President of the Birmingham Chapter of SAR and Alabama State SAR. Michael served on and chaired many committees, elected to three terms as Librarian General of National Sons of the American Revolution, and Vice President General of the Southern District. He led in the development and building of the National SAR Library. Because of his leadership and commitment to the organization, he was awarded the Minuteman—the highest award in the organization. Most important to Michael was his family.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Lorena Wells, and his brother, Billy Wells of Cullman. He is survived by his loving wife, Elizabeth Crabtree Wells, and his daughter, Michaelle Wells Jones (Chris), his two grandsons, Tucker and Hudson, his brothers Richard H. Wells (Donna), and James “Jimmy” F. Wells (Cindy), and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in his memory be made to: St. Bernard Preparatory School, 1600 St. Bernard Drive SE, Cullman, AL 35055 SAR Genealogical Research Library, 809 West Main Street, Louisville, KY 40202,Vestavia Hills Baptist Church Sound Committee, 2600 Vestavia Drive, Vestavia, AL 35216.

A visitation for family & friends will be held Monday, September 7, 2020 at 1:00 PM at Southern Heritage Funeral Home, 475 Cahaba Valley Road, Pelham, AL 35124, followed by A Celebration of Life at 2:00 PM.