Johnny Lyndol Wells

December 23, 1934 - December 13, 2019

Johnny Lyndol Wells was born on December 23, 1934, in Lincoln County near Chandler, Oklahoma, to William Jay Wells and Laura Tennie (Smith) Wells. His father was a farmer and his mother was a school teacher. He went to first grade in Sparks, Oklahoma. Johnny and his family lived there until 1942 when they moved to Lawton, Oklahoma, when he was eight years old. He attended school there until they moved to El Reno in 1945. Johnny graduated from El Reno High School in 1952 and attended El Reno Junior College for two years. He married Darlene Louise Nance on September 9, 1955, at Trinity Baptist Church in El Reno, Oklahoma. Johnny's first job was a 'soda jerk' at Peabody Creamery in El Reno. He then worked for Safeway Grocery Store in El Reno where he became produce manager. The Safeway store burned in 1956. It was then he went to work for Phillips Petroleum Company in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and completed his working career in the Research and Development Department as a Research Lab Technician. He was blessed to have many special projects during his time in R&D. He worked with a scientist who developed a de-icer which is still used to de-ice airplanes today. Another special project was chrome plating plastics. He has a patent in his name for a process he developed for that. He retired in 1991. One of the most favorite times of his life was when he and Louise retired and moved to Bullet Mountain on Lake Tenkiller in 1994. He loved to fish, enjoyed boating and the great outdoors, continued with his woodworking, spent a lot of time with his grandchildren, and enjoyed sharing it all with his family and friends. In 2008, because of health reasons, the Wells built a home in Tahlequah and moved into town where he lived until passing from this world. Johnny accepted Christ as his Savior when he was nine years old during Vacation Bible School at First Central Baptist Church in Lawton, Oklahoma. He was also baptized in that church. Johnny's primary Spiritual gift from God was teaching. He was a teacher all of his adult life- children, youth, young marrieds, and adults in his own age group. Here are First Baptist he taught Adult II Sunday School for 18 years. He was ordained Deacon in 1970 at Virginia Avenue Baptist Church in Bartlesville , Oklahoma, and served the Lord in that way ever since. He has served as Chairman of Deacons many times and was in that capacity here at First Baptist when he had his strokes in 2013. He has always been an example of right living to his wife and family and all those he came in contact with. Aside from God and family, Johnny's life long love has been woodworking. He took shop in his freshman year of high school. We still have pieces he made back then. through the years, he continued this passion and created many beautiful wood pieces both for himself and Louise and for family and friends. Most of the wood furniture in his home is his creation. He loved designing - maybe even better than building. He kept files on all the patterns he created. Some of his most recent accomplishments were wooden boxes for his grandchildren and great grandchildren. Johnny continued to do woodworking and stained glass up to the time he passed from this world. Johnny was a very quiet man but his feelings ran deep for his family. He was a loving, loyal and dedicated husband, father, grandfather, brother, and son. He was preceded in death by his parents, William Jay and Tennie Wells and his grandson, Jayson Clayton Keys. He is survived by his of 64 years, Louise Wells; a daughter, Kimi Keys and her husband Jay of Ramona, Oklahoma; son, Jay Wells and his wife Melinda, of Shawnee, Oklahoma; grandson Chance Wells; granddaughter-in-law, Rhenda Wells, of Sherman, Texas; and great grandchildren, Kyler Wells of Yukon, Oklahoma; Marissa Wells and Nevaeh Wells of Sherman, Texas; grandson, Kelsey Keys of Bartlesville, Oklahoma; great grandson C.J. Keys of Dewey, Oklahoma; great grandson, Jace Keys of Ramona, Oklahoma; granddaughter, Meghan Wells of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and granddaughter Kati Jacobs and her husband David of Ramona, Oklahoma; sister, Patricia Harris and her husband Mike of Plano, Texas; and sister, Ella Jean Smith of Myrtle Beach North, Carolina. Survivors also include numerous nephews, nieces, cousins and other extended family and many, many, friends. He was a truly blessed man.