Bill Wells of Cherokee #146 passes away.

William ‘Bill' Javan Wells
Murphy - William Bill Javan Wells, 82, of Murphy, assed away Wednesday, July 22, 2009, in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Bill was born Sept. 22, 1926 in the Murphy Township, to the late Roy H. Wells and Nancy Davis Wells. He was the husband of the late Jeanne Stiles Wells, who died Sept. 9, 2001. He was also preceded in death by his brother, Hubert Wells.

Bill is survived by his loving wife, Dianne Rogers Wells of the home; children, Betty J. Roberson and husband, Haskel, of Murphy, Roy Wells and wife, Susan, of Murphy, Sarah Sisson and husband, David, of Blue Ridge, Ga., and Lee McKeon and husband, Kenny, of Murphy; a stepdaughter, Courtney Allen and friend, Trevor Grant, of Marble; grandchildren, Mary Ledford and husband, Ron, Bill and Erin Wells, and Brooklyn, Brice, and Bailey McKeon; great-grandchildren, Trent and Hope Ledford; and sisters, Ella Jean Wells of Murphy and Nancy Wallace of Knoxville, Tenn.

Bill graduated from Murphy High School in 1944 and entered the United States Navy and took part in the Okinawa Campaign. He returned to Murphy to start a lifelong career as a businessman. In the early 1950's, he started a dairy farm followed by a hatching egg business / seed corn production business. In the 1960's, after purchasing a Daffin Mobile Mill, he traveled the Tri-State area grinding farmer's corn. In 1963, he began a small plumbing business and in 1965, he partnered with a dear friend, Charles H. West, to form Wells and West, Inc. The collaboration has strived to recruit new industry for the Cherokee County area and allowed for the first shopping center to be established in the 1970's. In May 2009, the North Carolina Department of Transportation dedicated a bridge that joins family farms as the William J. Wells Bridge.

Bill was an avid pilot and a member of the Cherokee Masonic Lodge #146 for 53 years. He was an active member of The First United Methodist Church of Murphy, His community services include Murphy Town Council, North Carolina Community Foundation Board, Economic Development Board, and Job Security Employment Commission. His hobbies included farming corn, soybeans, pumpkins, gardening sunflowers, boating, and spending time on the Mission Farm.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, July 24 at the Ivie Funeral Home Chapel in Murphy and funeral service will be 11 a.m. Saturday, July 25, at The First United Methodist Church. The Rev. George Yates will officiate. Burial will be at the Wells & West Perpetual Gardens with Masonic graveside rites conducted by the Cherokee Masonic Lodge #146. Pallbearers will be Fred Carson, Tom Johnson, Noland Smith, Kenny Rogers, Jerry Rogers, and Larry Kernea. Honorary pallbearers will be the Murphy Town Council, W.T. Mauldin, Rev. Jimmy Rogers, John Carringer, Horace Cannon, and Gene Clayton.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made in memory of William Bill Javan Wells to Shriners Hospital for Children, 950 West Faris Road, Greenville, SC 29605 or The First United Methodist Church of Murphy, P.O. Box 86, Murphy, NC 28906.

Ivie Funeral Home, Murphy in charge of all arrangements.

An online guest register is available at Obituaries at www.iviefuneralhome.com