"This story begins with sweet Chang Ban/ Carried on the wings of Gabriel to a distant land/A loving family embrace the China Doll/ They call her Kailee/ She is the youngest of four// A vivacious child with a cherubic face/ With such heart warming beauty and gentle grace/ Howdy to an American childhood of joy and fun/ Sleep overs, spelling bees, and laughter in the sun// But fate barges in with the cruellest trick/ Wreaking havoc, inflicting the most wounding kick/ Mom and dad, they wow to fight/ To save their daughter for a horrid plight// The world has scarcely known such love/ They move Heaven and Earth when the going gets tough/ Down long winding roads in search of a cure/ Wondering how much more the lass can endure// But the mite kept defying the darnedest odds/ Her courage and spirit, pleadings to the gods/ And millions rally around in deepest prayers/ Hoping for a miracle to soften the despair// As rainbow appears after a violent storm/ Angels manifest in human form/ Missions of mercy and solemn oath to tame/ The wretched beast with a stupid name// To save many lives, now a cherished wish/ Chariots of hope from coast to coast unleashed/ And nations join hands in a noble cause/ Offering solace to those stricken and lost// Tis a tale that is so beautifully told/ By deeds of the heart and dreams of the soul/ They fight the good fight and kept the faith/ Their footprints, a trail of the brave. Rest in peace, Mr. Wells, you will forever remain in our hearts, and your example of kindness, courage, generosity will continue to shine on our lives. My deepest condolences, prayers and love for your family. "
In loving memory of
Owen D. Wells
October 25, 1950 - April 4, 2015
OWEN D. WELLS
Mr. Owen Wells, of Lower Ridge Road in the Town of Port Washington, died on April 4, 2015. He was 64 years old. Owen was born on October 25, 1950 in Chico, CA, son of James P. And Alberta Hawker Wells. He attended local schools before serving proudly in the United States Marine Corps in Vietnam. Following his service, Owen attended Westminster College in Utah, earning his Bachelor's degree. While living in Albuquerque, NM, he met Linda Andre at a flying event. They were united in marriage on June 6, 1981. The couple resided in Albuquerque and started their family. Mr. Wells was the owner and operator of the graphic design firm American Business Images. The family moved to Shorewood in 2003 and to Port Washington in 2007. Owen enjoyed photography, scuba diving and flying. He held a private pilot's license. In his younger days he was a lifeguard, taught gymnastics, liked biking, hiking, rock climbing and swimming. He tried his hand at ballooning and had also taught scuba instruction. Mr. Wells was an active volunteer with the Wisconsin Blood Center Bone Marrow Donor Program, as well as the National Marrow Donor Program. Above all, he enjoyed time with his family and grandchildren. Owen is survived by his wife Linda and their daughters Kailee Wells and Taunya Crilly, all of Port Washington, sons Michael (Jessicca) Phillips and Ben ( Erin) Phillips, both of Albuquerque, NM and six grandchildren: Jacob & Conor Crilly of Port Washington, Makenzie, Maci, Andrew & Ryan Phillips, all of Albuquerque. He is further survived by his sister Berthe (Tom) Keith of Florida, father-in-law Dr. James Andre, also of Albuquerque, four special nieces: Jennifer, Gwendolyn, Kris and Catherine, aunts, uncles, cousins, other relatives and friends. He is preceded in death by his parents. Funeral services will be held at 1pm on Friday, April 10th at the Eernisse Funeral Home, 1167 Washington Ave., Cedarburg. Pastor Jon Breimeier will preside. He will be laid to rest at St. Mary's Cemetery in Port Washington with Military Honors. The family will receive visitors at the Funeral Home on Friday from 11am until services at 1pm. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Owen's name are suggested to National Marrow Donor Program.
Tributes
"My deepest sympathies to Owen's family. I am so sorry I only found out today and was not able to pay my respects in a timely fashion. I have only worked with Owen the past several years, but what I did get to know of Owen was what a kind and thoughtful man he was. We would talk about many things and I enjoyed listening how full he lived everyday. I admired and respected Owen and came to call him friend. I will miss him, and his smile and his thoughtful and polite ways. God Bless you Owen and I pray the Lord keeps your family safe. Joe Lopiparo"
"Owen always wore his heart on his sleeve, his emotions and deep caring always so close to the surface that it was not unusual for him to burst into tears when talking about the years of struggling to find a perfect match for his beloved and very sick, at least back then, daughter Kailee. He and his wife, Linda, worked so hard to find that marrow donor, and finally they did. But they also found donors for so many others across the globe. It is not an exaggeration to say that he and Linda saved many lives. It is just tragic that he could not save his own. Rest peacefully, Owen. Warmest thoughts to those you leave behind."
"After searching for a forms designer to help design a uniform statewide law enforcement offense/incident reporting form I had the pleasure to meet Owen. Owen's advice and attention to detail, his ability to ask all the right questions and his competent employees are the primary reason his design was accepted by 90+% of state, county, local, tribal law enforcement that is still the state standard since 1994. RIP Owen "
"Linda and Family: Please accept my condolences on the passing of Owen. It was an honor to have known such a great man. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family."
"I am sorry for the loss of your dear Owen and would like to express my sincere condolences to the entire family. It is my hope that you find comfort in knowing that Jehovah has promised to "swallow up death forever" (Isaiah25:8) and that he will resurrect all our dear loved ons that have passed away. ( John 5:28,29) Allmthe best wishes for your family at this time."
"Linda and family, You are in our thoughts and prayers. May God comfort you and spread his grace upon you."
"Our hearts and prayers go out to you. Linda, I am so sorry for your loss. We will be thinking about you and your family, and saying prayers that the Lord will help you thru this most difficult time. Jeannette Vallejos and Will(Billy Maes)"
"We will always remember the strong determination that Owen and Linda demonstrated in searching for a bone marrow donor for Kailee, and undoubtedly helping thousands and thousands of other people by getting more people to sign up for the bone marrow registry. We will keep the entire family in our thoughts and prayers!"