Donald Wells

Donald Wells, a veteran of the United States Air Force, of 39 George Saile Road, Saugerties, NY, formerly of Kingston and Old Hurley, died Monday, November 2, 2009 at his residence. He was 69 at the time of his death. Mr. Wells attended Kingston High School until joining the United States Air Force in 1958 through 1962 where he served with the Strategic Air Command's 42nd Civil Engineering Squadron at Loring Air Force Base in Limestone, Maine. He continued his education in the USAF and obtained a high school diploma and many college credits. He was a member of the American Legion, Saugerties, NY Post. Mr. Wells worked for KOSCO as a service technician before joining the IBM Corporation in 1966. He retired from IBM in 1995 as a manager of Facilities Engineering Site Operations, before joining Grubb and Ellis Management Services as the Site Manager of the former IBM Site known as TechCity, Kingston, NY. He then was hired directly by the owner of TechCity as the Director of Operations and Site Manager until his retirement on August 18, 2006. He was also VP and CEO of Joint Ventures Building Maintenance, Inc, since he and his wife Daryl purchased the business in 1997. He was a member of the IBM Quarter Century Club, a former Captain in the Excelsior Hose Co, of Kingston and the Hurley Fire Co., Hurley, NY. He was an avid bowler and belonged to many leagues in the area, most recently in the Academy Insurance League with Joint Ventures Building Maintenance, Inc. team. He played fast pitch softball for many teams including Titan Pools, Subway Grill, Perry's Restaurant, Jack's Barber Shop, and Amatos' Trucking, with many of the teams winning the championship in their division. He also liked to hunt and fish. He was an avid golfer and was a member of Thunderhard at Sunnyhill Golf Club in Freehold and is a member of the Catskill Golf Club and formerly served as both a director and Vice President of the Catskill Golf Club and formerly served as both a director and Vice President of the Catskill Golf Club Board of directors in Catskill, NY. He was a member of the National Rifle Association and the Catskill Mountain Fish and Game Club Inc., of Hunter, NY. He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church of Kingston, attended the Hurley Reformed Church in Hurley and the Redeemer Lutheran Church of Kingston where he and his wife Daryl were married. He was born August 2, 1940 in the Benedictine Hospital, Kingston, NY, son of the late Amy O'Bryon Beare Wells Skalla of Cementon, NY and the late Donald Wells, Sr. of St. Remy, NY and step-father, the late Charles J. Skalla of Kingston. Survivors in addition to his wife Daryl Lynn Acker Wells, whom he married in 1986, two sons Donald James of Lomontville, and Darren Scott of Sawkill, a daughter Debra Lee of Kingston and Venice, FL., four grandsons, Zachary Donovan, Dakotah Shane, Hunter Nicholas and Kaeden Riley Wells, two daughters-in-law, June and Kristi, several nieces and nephews, cousins, many friends. Brother to Lorraine Beare Boss (Fred) of Schoharie, NY and Florida, Amy Wells Sturrock of Port Ewen, the late Charles Harold Beare of Catskill, NY, and his dog Naomi "Pookie" Wells (deceased). Reposing at the Simpson - Gaus Funeral Home, 411 Albany Ave. on Wednesday from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. and Thursday from 2:00 - 4:00 and 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Friends and family will gather at the funeral home on Friday between 9:30 and 10:00 a.m. for a 10:00 a.m. funeral service conducted by Reverend Dr. Robert L. Gram. Interment, with military honors by Joyce-Schirick Post #1386 V.F.W. will be in Montrepose Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of your choice. Interment will be at the Montropose Cemetery, Kingston, New York at the family plot.