Francis "Michael" Drake Wells

Francis Wells, known by all as Michael, died April 9th of Alzheimer's at Cedarbrook. His family appreciates the excellent care he received from Michael Lynch, MD, Bristol Hospice, St. Agnes Hospital, Cedarbrook, and from Maricel Cortez, who has cared for Michael for many years.

Michael, a direct descendent of William Wells, who with a small band of pilgrims, settled Southold, LI, in 1640, was born to Francis D. Wells, Sr. and Ethel Biddle Pleis in Glenridge, NJ. His parents and two older sisters are deceased. Cousins, nieces, and nephews survive.

A magna cum laude graduate of Lafayette College in Easton, PA, he continued his studies as a William Randolph Hearst Scholar in American History at Northwestern University in Chicago.

Michael married Mary Anne Harrison, originally from Fresno, in St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York in 1968. He was a Vice President of Chase Manhattan Bank in New York and from Wall St. watched the building of the World Trade Center to completion. Michael and Mary Anne moved from New York to Washington, DC when Michael, a Chartered Financial Analyst, accepted a position with the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation. From Massachusetts Ave. they watched in horror the demise of the WTC on 9/11.

Michael has always loved his Faith, hymns, his three Golden retrievers and newspapers. The New York Times, The Times of London, and The Wall Street Journal were always part of his day.

Michael and Mary Anne traveled widely in Europe on Eurail passes as often as possible. They also guided family members from California on a tour of England, Ireland, and Scotland. With a head full of history and geography, Michael always knew where he was going and how to gest there.

Twenty plus happy summers at Huntington Lake marked retirement in California where good friends became family.

Msgr. Stephen Frost and Canon Keith Brown presided over the graveside service in Hanford on April 29th.