David Woodman Wells ’71

David Woodman Wells ’71, of South Orange, N.J., passed away on July 13 surrounded by his loving family, after a courageous battle with Hodgkin’s disease, at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. David was born on Oct. 2, 1949, to Albert N. Wells and Margaret Kelly Wells in Louisville, Ky., and grew up in Laurinburg and Sunset Beach. He graduated from Davidson with a degree in German. He attended Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Va., where he received a doctor of ministry in 1977. His first pastorate was in Jackson, Ky., at the Guerrant Memorial Church. In 1979 he and his family moved to Spencer, W.Va., where, in addition to serving as pastor of the Spencer Presbyterian Church, David traveled and provided support for pastors in remote rural areas in the Greenbrier Presbytery. David then became pastor of the First Federated Church of Bayonne, N.J., and attended the Blanton Peale Graduate Institute where he received a degree in pastoral psychotherapy. David practiced at the Grace Counseling Center in Madison, N.J., and subsequently developed a private practice in Montclair, N.J. At the same time, he was pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Hamburg, N.J. David is survived by his beloved wife, Katherine Esposito, 318 Meeker St., South Orange, NJ 07079; his children, Elijah Wells (Dana) and Anna Wells Hodges (Richard); his stepchildren, Ben Esposito (Tina) and Molly Crossin; his father, Albert N. Wells; and brother, John Wells (Carol). He was the adored grandfather of Isabella Esposito, and favorite uncle of 21 nieces and nephews. David loved sailing, music, dancing, travel, people, and laughter. He was loved and will be missed by all.