The Rev. Dr. Clarke Dewey Wells

The Rev. Dr. Clarke Dewey Wells, 76, died Nov. 8, 2006. He served churches in Oklahoma City; Cincinnati, OH; Portland, OR; and Newton, MA. As interim, he served in Bloomington and Muncie IN; Houston, TX; Santa Barbara, Santa Paula and San Luis Obispo, CA; Youngstown, OH; Pittsburgh, PA; and Asheville, NC. He also served in Lakeland, FL, where he was named Minister Emeritus. Author of four books of poetry and well-known essays, His reputation as a dynamic preacher and an excellent teacher led to many requests for these services following his retirement in 1995. He served on the Board of Trustees for Meadville Lombard and as adjunct faculty and chaplain. He was a special lecturer at Starr King. In 1977 gave the sermon at the Service of the Living Tradition at GA in Boston. He also served on the Commissions on Appraisal, the Free Church and Common Worship. He was Vice President of the UUMA (following merger in 1961). An avid athlete, he played football in high school and college; he was an enthusiastic snorkeler, handball, and tennis player. He marched with Dr. King in 1965, and was with his colleague, James Reeb, and his wife, Marie, at a hospital in Birmingham, AL, when Rev. Reeb died. Clarke is survived by his sons, Jared St. John Wells of Tucson, AZ and Garde MacKenzie Wells of Eugene, OR; as well as his wife and companion, Barbara Carlson.