Mary Lou Wells

A graveside memorial service will be 2:00 p.m., Saturday, September 3, 2022 at Bonnievale Cemetery, with her son Joe Ross Wells officiating.

Mary Lou passed away peacefully at her home in Colorado Springs, July 31st of 2021.

Mary Lou was born on January 27, 1927, the eighth of ten children to Roy and Hattie Egtvet Johnson, in Baker Montana. She grew up on the family farm 28 miles south of Baker during the heart of the depression. She attended Chimney Creek School through 8th grade and graduated from Baker High School in 1945. She worked at the Lake Theater as usher and the Bank of Baker as a teller. Soon after, she married Joe Stanley Wells from Ekalaka, Montana. They moved to Sheridan Wyoming where their daughter Karla Jean Wells was born. Four years later they moved to Helena, Montana where their second child Joe Ross Wells was born. In 1957 the family moved briefly to Covington Ohio where her husband Joe started a specialty automotive tools supply business. Soon after Joe relocated the family and business to Colorado Springs where Mary Lou lived the remainder of her life.

Mary Lou was a dedicated mother and wife, and enjoyed summer and Christmas vacations traveling and visiting parents and many siblings. She successfully took over and managed the family business for many years after husband Joe passed away in May of 1969 after a long battle with cancer. She loved babysitting her grandchildren and great grandchild Payton, as well as children of friends. Kids seemed drawn to her like a magnet.

She was survived at the time of her passing by her son Joe Ross Wells of Pueblo West, Colorado, one sister Joy Hayden of Baker and her granddaughter Kelly Elliot from Colorado Springs. Sadly, Kelly passed away three months after Mary Lou of cancer.

 Mary Lou was preceded in death by her parents Roy and Hattie, her husband Joe, her daughter Karla and granddaughter Hailey Wells. Also, by her sisters Ione Coldwell, Irene Wiman, Montie Sipma, Helen Tennent, Betty Jo Johnson and brothers Don Johnson, Lloyd (Buster)Johnson and Earl (Bud) Johnson.