Obituaries

Helen W. Wells

Died June 7, 2015

NORTHPORT:  Helen Wayt Wells, 85, of Northport, passed away Sunday, June 7, 2015 at Northport Highlands surrounded by loving family members.

  Helen was born on July 23, 1929 in Richmond, VA, the daughter of Mr. Beverley Dunnington Wayt, Sr. and Mrs. Helen (Narracott) Wayt.  On Aug. 19, 1950 at the Warren Street Presbyterian Church of Saginaw, Michigan, she married William (Bill) Wood Wells, who survives.

  In 1947, Helen graduated from Arthur Hill High School in Saginaw.  She attended the University of Michigan on a Regent Scholarship leading to a B.S. in Medical Technology in 1951.  Helen lived at the Kappa Delta sorority on campus, and later, she met Bill at the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity house party.  Bill received his B.S. in Zoology in 1949 and his M.S. in Biochemistry in 1951 from the Univ. of Mich.  After a year living in Kalamazoo, MI where Bill worked for the Upjohn Co., Helen and Bill left for Bill’s doctorate study at the Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison.  Helen worked at the University Health Service as a medical technician.  In 1955, Bill accepted a faculty position in Biochemistry at the School of Medicine, Univ. of Pittsburgh, and they lived in the suburb of Mt. Lebanon, PA for 9 years.  In 1965-66, the family enjoyed a sabbatical in Munich, Germany.  Helen and Bill’s family returned to Okemos, MI, where Bill became Professor of Biochemistry at Michigan State Univ.  After Helen’s children were old enough, she studied for the M.S. degree in Pathology in the School of Human Medicine at MSU in 1973.  She became a staff assistant to the faculty in the Pathology Department until her retirement in 1997.  At this time, Helen and Bill built a home in Northport, MI where they have been involved in the Village Voices of Northport, and the Northport Community Art Center Theatre.  Helen was active in music most of her life including  piano and cello as well as singing with choral groups at the Univ. of MI, MSU, and at her church in Traverse City, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Grand Traverse.  Helen was a talented artist while living in Saginaw, Okemos, and with the Art Group of Leland, MI.  She was an avid reader being a member of several book clubs in Okemos and Northport.  Helen was noted for her intellect, her sense of humor and her wit.  She loved nature and was a member of the “Walkie-Talkies” women’s hiking group of Leelanau County, and a docent at “Saving Birds through Habitat.”  Helen loved children and was a volunteer tutor at the Northport grade school.  She will be sorely missed.     

  In addition to her husband of 64 years, Helen is survived by her four children, Thomas C. Wells, Christopher D. (Dotty) Wells, Jon W. (Edie) Wells, and Anne (Jim) Pocock; ten grandchildren, Becki, Michael, Scott, Kevin, Jessica, and Timothy Wells, Elizabeth (Nathaniel) Tracy, and Bryant, Spencer, and Kyle Pocock; eight great-grandchildren; and sister-in-law, Joyce Wayt.

  She was preceded in death by her brothers, Beverley Wayt Jr. and Thomas Wayt; and a daughter-in-law, Dawn Anne Wells.

  A memorial service will be held on Monday, July 13 at 11 a.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Grand Traverse.  Burial will follow at the UUCGT Memorial Gardens.  Rabbi Chava Bahle will officiate.

  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Grand Traverse, 6726 Center Rd. Traverse City, MI 49686 and or to the Leelanau Conservancy, P.O. Box 1007, Leland, MI 49654.

 Please share thoughts and memories with Helen’s family below: