Edward Everett Wells went home to his Heavenly Father on Sunday, February 25. The youngest son of Edward H. and Gretchen L. Wells, Ed was born February 20, 1928 and grew-up in northeastern Nebraska's small town of Madison. Ed's love for jazz swing took root at an early age and he performed trumpet with various dance bands until leaving the road to pursue his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Music Education at the University of Nebraska (Lincoln). While attending a summer music camp during the summer of 1944, Ed met Lois Cadwallader. The two married in June 1950 and pursued their careers as music educators in Gordon, NE then Michigan City, IN. During the 1960's, US Steel (Gary, IN) provided a recreational music program for their employees, and recruited Ed as program director. It was a perfect job for someone who loved music and also provided a stepping stone into management. Times changed and Ed's next job took him to Chicago as compensation director for Warwick Electronics - the home of VOX guitars. Needless to say, his three sons were not saddened by the new job. Ed and Lois moved to Minnesota in 1972 where he continued to work in executive compensation for Super Valu, Hay & Associates and the DCA- Stanton Group. As Ed advanced in his career, he still found time to play trumpet as a sideman in various Twin Cities' dance bands and arrange jazz swing choral music for Somerset Press. In 1982, Lois and Ed purchased the Heritage Clock Shop in Deephaven, MN where he became a certified clocksmith and learned the fine art of winding clocks. In 1993, Ed retired from DCA, sold the clock shop and took-to-the-road, traveling the country with Lois. In 1995, they moved to Eau Claire, WI where Ed found ways to give-back to his new community by volunteering with Kiwanis, the Paul Bunyan Logging Camp, Step Force at Mayo/Luther Hospital, creating a choir for Hmong children and founding Planet Swing who performed, "Out of this World Classics from the Swing Era". Ed is survived by Lois, his beloved wife of 67 years. He was a loving father to sons David (Jennifer), Stephen (Lori) and Barry (Lisa) as well as a proud grandpa to Rachel (Dan) Johnson, Jonathan (Meggy), Jeremy, Micaela, Allison (Brett) Nelson, Brian, Adeline, Chelsea, Matthew and great-granddaughter, Fiona Deidre Johnson. Ed was a tender prayer-warrior who believed that faith in Christ and family are the backbone of life. He will be greatly missed and if there is a single piano in heaven's expanse, Ed already found it. The Wells family wishes to express their appreciation to St. Croix Hospice for their care and support. A celebration of life will be held at Noon, on Saturday, March 3, 2018, at Harvestime Church, 3625 Southwind Dr. in Eau Claire, with Pastor Kim Buckman officiating. Visitation will begin one hour prior to the service on Saturday at the church.

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