Virginia Wells

Virginia Holcomb Bennett Wells passed away May 2, 2008 from complications due to a stroke. She was 90.

She was born September 7, 1917, to Fred Lee Bennett and Mary Elizabeth Holcomb Bennett, in Rochester, N.Y. She was raised in LeRoy, N.Y., the town where Jell-O was invented.

Virginia received a B.A. degree in French from Cornell University, and a M.A. degree in Psychology form the University of Minnesota. She did personnel work for Mt. Holyoke and Bryn Mawr colleges. She was assistant Dean of Women at Drake University, and worked for the U.S. government in the Dept. of Oriental Languages at the University of Pennsylvania. It was here that she met her future husband, Rulon S. Wells III. They were married July 21, 1945. He had received a PhD from Harvard University, and they settled in New Haven, CT, where he was on the faculty at Yale University for 44 years.

During her college years, Virginia was a member of Tri-Delta Sorority, Mortar Board, Kappa Delta Epsilon, and Pi Lamda Theta honorary societies. She taught French at a private school for several years in the 1950''s. In later years she was very active in the New Haven and Salt Lake City chapters of Literacy Volunteers of America. She helped many young people further their careers by teaching them English as a second language. She also worked as a volunteer to help young children with autism.

In 1990, after Rulon retired from teaching at Yale, they moved to Salt Lake City to be near their children and grandchildren.

After being a life-long member of the Congregational Church, Virginia made the decision to join the LDS Church. She was baptized and confirmed on March 29, 2008, at the age of 90.

Virginia was an avid bird watcher, loved gardening, knitting, reading, and could do the New York Times crossword puzzle in ink. When her sons were young, she was active in cub-scouting and enjoyed taking them camping, fishing and ice-skating. She loved classical music and opera. After moving to Utah, she became an enthusiastic Jazz fan. Because of her life-long love of learning, she instilled in her children and grandchildren the desire to pursue higher education.

Virginia is survived by her husband, Rulon S. Wells III, two sons, Rulon S. (Sy) Wells IV (Marsha), David Bennett Wells, five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and a sister, Elizabeth Naglee.

Funeral services will be held 2 pm Wednesday May 7, 2008 at the Bountiful Tabernacle, 51 S. Main, Bountiful Utah where friends may call 12:45-1:45 pm prior to the funeral services. Interment at Salt Lake City Cemetery under the directions of Lindquist''s Bountiful Mortuary. Condolences may be shared at www.lindquistmortuary.com