Stuart Wade Wells

Stuart W. Wells, 96, of Harvard, IL was born February 13, 1922 to Esther Wade Wells and John Richard Wells in Harvard, IL and died September 12, 2018 at Mercy Harvard Care Center.

He graduated from Harvard High School in 1940 where he was a Drum Major and played the coronet and string base.  He was Harvard’s 1st Eagle Scout in 1941.  After graduation, he attended Northwestern Univ.  majoring in Engineering.  He married Dorothy Cole on October 14, 1944 in Harvard and in 1946 he and Dorothy moved back to Harvard to run the family farm. 

He became a 4-H member in 1937 and started leading the South Dunham Boys Club in 1946 (a/k/a the South Dunham AGR’s and South Dunham Community 4-H Club).  He was a leader for 65 years.  He was the 4-H General Projects Superintendent at the McHenry County Fair for over 30 years and a past McHenry County Fair Board Member.  He received the Clover Award from the U of IL 4-H Extension in 1993 and was the first 4-H Leader in McHenry County to be inducted into the first Illinois 4-H Foundation Hall of Fame in 2005.  In 2012, he was named to the first McHenry County 4-H Wall of Fame “Friends of the Fair” where a park bench bearing his name appears at the fair.  His leadership affected the lives of hundreds of youth.

He was a member of the Red and White Holstein Cattle Association, in the past selling some of his cows to Brazil and South America.  In 1995 he received the Don Albrecht Memorial Award for his dedication to the Red and White Holstein Cattle Association and The Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2002 National Red and White Convention.

He was the oldest member of the First Presbyterian Church of Harvard (82 years), and a past Trustee of the church.  He also was a board member of The Greater Area Harvard Historical Society.

He is survived by his daughters, Peggy Jenkins, Harvard, and Mary ”Cathy” (David) Joslyn of Woodstock; 7 grandchildren, DeWayne Brennecka, Todd Brennecka, Charlene Jenkins, Sean (Nancy) Burton, Sheila (Mike) Ruhl, David N. (Samantha) Joslyn and Matthew (Julie) Joslyn; eight great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren. 

He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Wells in 2005; his parents; his brothers, Roger and Herbert Wells; and his daughter, Susan (Ev) Burton, Elkhorn, WI. 

The visitation/memorial service will be Saturday, October 6, 2018, with visitation 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. and memorial service at 11:00a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Harvard, 7100 Harvard Hills Road, Harvard.  The Rev. Dr. Jeff Borgerson and Pastor Claire Brennecka will be jointly officiating.  Private internment will be at a later date in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Harvard. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the McHenry County 4-H Foundation, P.O. Box 1430, Woodstock, IL 60098; The Greater Harvard Area Historical Society, P.O. Box 505, Harvard, IL  60033;  or to the First Presbyterian Church of Harvard Foundation, P.O. Box 846, Harvard, IL 60033.

Friends and relatives may sign the online guestbook at saundersmcfarlin.net.

Call Saunders & McFarlin Funeral Home for more info at 815-943-5400.

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