Obituary of Dale L. Wells

Dale L. Wells, 63, Cloquet, died unexpectedly Thursday, June 26, 2003 in his home. He was born April 24, 1940 in Cloquet, the son of Theodore and Eleanore (Mickelson) Wells. He was raised and attended schools in Wright and Cromwell and was a 1958 graduate of Cromwell High School. Dale married Myrna Kempi Wendling on May 25, 1974 in Cromwell. Dale entered the US Navy in 1959 and served for 20 years until his retirement from the Navy in 1979 as a Chief Petty Officer working as a recruiter. He then worked as a zone manager for Manney's Shopper from 1981 until 2001. He was a member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church and the Cloquet Eagle's Club. Dale enjoyed fishing, golfing, bowling, gardening and hunting. Dale was preceded in death by his father, Ted; a brother, Warren Wells; his father and mother-in-law, Ernest and Violet Kempi; two sisters-in-law, Sharon Kempi and Susan Thieling and a nephew, Mike Kempi. Dale was deeply loved and will be greatly missed by his wife, Myrna, of Cloquet; his mother, Eleanore Edstrom of Cloquet; two sons, Khristopher (Diane) of Two Harbors and Graig of Fargo, ND; a daughter, ShawnMarie Wells of Superior; a step-daughter, Cammie Wendling of Novi, MI; a step-son, Todd Wendling of St. Louis Park, MN; two brothers, Roger (Ramona) Harp of Cromwell and Gary (Carmen) Wells of Woodbury; three grandchildren, Catherine, Kristina and Ethan Wells, all of Two Harbors; five step-grandchildren, Brandi Frakie of St. Louis Park, Tyler Duke of Old Hickory, TN, Anders and Samuel Rippe and Kellen Knill, all of Novi, MI; two sisters-in-law, Naomi Wells of Plymouth and Debra Kempi (Danny Smith) of Tamarack; his Godmother, Helen Benson of Wright and many nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles and a host of friends. Visitation will be Friday, June 27, 2003 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. in Northland Funeral Home, 801 14th Street, Cloquet. Visitation will continue Saturday from 1:00 until the 2:00 p.m. funeral service in Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 12th and Doddridge in Cloquet. Interment will be in Wright Public Cemetery at a later date. Memorials may be made to Our Savior's Lutheran Church or the American Heart Association.