Chuck was a long-time member of the Klamath County Democratic Central Committee. Up until just recently, he was still Vice-Chair, though he was awarded the title of  Vice-Chair Emeritus in January (which gave him full rights to say, “Back in my day…”). We loved him dearly and will miss him a lot.

 

We had a great Celebration of his life last Saturday. We won't forget him. 

 

 

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Wells Jr., Charles Howell "Chuck" | Obituaries | heraldandnews.com

 

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On Aug 21, 2024, his 99th birthday, Charles Howell (Chuck) Wells Jr. departed life on Earth to take up residence throughout the cosmos.  Chuck approached his death with the same curiosity and compassion for others that he maintained all of his life.  Any surprises he may experience will of course remain confidential.  

His survivors include Sally, his wife of 49 years, his two sons from his former marriage to Marie Herold, Daniel Wells of Talent and David Wells and wife Alice of Scottsdale Arizona; his two stepsons, David Logan and wife Holli of Boston, Massachusetts, and their son Kyle and daughter Kate, and Todd Logan and wife Micky of Salem, Oregon, and their sons, Spence and Harry. Other survivors include much loved nieces, nephews, and cousins.  

Chuck was born on his family's farm in Parma Township, New York, on August 21, 1925, just 5 years after women got the vote and only one year after Native Americans attained citizenship.  During the Great Depression, the family moved near his mother's family home in Atherton, CA.  After high school, Chuck enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and served in the North Atlantic throughout the war.  When peacetime arrived, the GI bill helped him earn a BA in education at San Jose State University.  To help finance his education, he worked in construction, at hospitals and ambulance services, and on merchant ships in the summers.  After earning his degree, Chuck taught in Bay Area elementary and junior high schools, and also taught courses to inmates in San Quentin Penitentiary.  He then returned to college at UC Berkeley, where he earned a Masters degree in Adult Education and Human Resource Development.  After working for University Extension and the California State Training Division, he went abroad and directed management seminars for the Iranian National Oil Company in Abadan, Iran, for two years.  Returning to the United States, he developed the first training department for Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Northern California.  After he and Sally were married in 1975, they returned overseas, where Chuck managed training departments for Mobil Oil in Tripoli (Libya) and Medan (Indonesia).  

After returning from deployments abroad, Chuck and Sally explored the American West before settling on a small ranch in Chiloquin, Oregon.  During the 35 years they lived on the ranch, Chuck taught at OIT, served as the Chair of Chiloquin Community Health Center, and formed the Friends of Crater Lake National Park, serving as its first president.  He, Sally and like-minded friends created the community benefit organization Chiloquin Visions in Progress, which eventually built the Chiloquin Community Center.  He served as Chair of the advisory board of the Klamath County Library Service District from its inception in 2003 until 2023.  He was also appointed as the community representative on the Klamath County Public Safety Coordinating Committee.  

Chuck was a patriot and a committed citizen, a lifelong progressive Democrat, and an environmental conservationist.  He was an activist for human rights, collective bargaining, an advocate for campaign reform, fiscal honesty, fairness and accountability.  He has now left this progressive work to his fellow-spirited brothers and sisters.  

Chuck saw himself as a peaceful citizen of the world.  He was a Unitarian Universalist and a member of the Klamath County Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.  All the aspects of nature and science were his cathedrals of reverence, and any people who cared to join him were his fellows on his spiritual journey.  

Any donations of remembrance may be made to the UU Fellowship of Klamath County, PO Box 391, KF, 97601, or to a public school or service organization of your choice. 

There will be a Celebration of Life at the Chuck and Sally Wells Meeting Room at the Chiloquin Community Center on September 7, 2024, beginning at 11:00 a.m.  There will be food, music and remembrance.  All are welcome.