OBITUARY: Michael F. Wells, 67, of Woburn

Michael F. Wells, beloved husband and father, died at home peacefully on Tuesday, October 18, 2016, surrounded by his loving family. He was 67 years of age. Michael was the beloved husband of Marcia, proud father of Michael and Paul, fond father-in-law to Lynne and Nora, and doting grandfather of Declan and Conor.

Born in Woburn, Mike was the fourth child of Mary (Burke) and Joseph Wells. From an early age, Michael worked at his father's gas station pumping gas and after graduating from Woburn High School, Michael took over running the garage. Always a hard worker, Michael would always work more than one job at a time. Over time, Michael owned several different businesses including a towing company and an oil delivery business. Michael worked for the city of Woburn's Water Department for forty years and was a corrections officer for the Middlesex Sheriff’s Office. Michael was also comforting figure to many as he greeted and directed people at the Dello Russo Family Funeral Homes in Woburn, Medford and Wilmington.

As much as Michael worked, he always made time for his family. Although Michael and Marcia had gone to high school together, they began seeing each other only after graduation. Many hours where spent together at the Excellence by the Strand Theater in Woburn Center or with Michael's growing number of nieces and nephews. Married in 1973, Michael and Marcia celebrated their 43rd wedding anniversary this September. Michael was a devoted father to their sons, Michael and Paul. Michael became a regular sight at the boys' hockey games, traveling with his sons to their tournaments in Chicago and Canada and always applauding their efforts. One of his favorite places to spend time with his family was in Little Neck in Ipswich where the family enjoyed many hours together at the beach. And always part of Michael's family would be a dog, always a boxer, always named Serious.

Michael enjoyed being surrounded by family and friends. There were not too many people in Woburn, Michael didn't know. A regular at Moore & Parker, Michael would stop in every morning getting his coffee and lottery tickets and saying hello to his many friends in town. In the last couple of years, he could be often being found, wearing his scaly cap, hanging out at the VFW club with his brother Joe. For years, summer days often found a crowd of people at Michael's home, around the pool that he and Marcia generously opened up to their many nieces and nephews and numerous friends and neighbors. In the past few years, great nieces and nephews have spent hot summer days swimming in Uncle Mike's pool.

Like his father before him, Michael would often reach out to people with a kind gesture. In an unobtrusive way, Michael would help out by cutting a neighbor's lawn, paying for a child's soda or candy at Moore & Parker or stopping in for a cup of coffee when someone needed some company. Having grown up with his maternal grandmother, Ma Burke, living with the family on Cleveland Avenue, Michael made the extra effort in caring for the older women in his family including his mother, Nana Cashell, and his mother-in-law, Marion McGilvray who adored her son-in-law and let everyone know how much she thought of Michael.

The light of Michael's life in recent years was his grandson, Declan. Nothing made Michael happier than to hear Declan arriving at the house, loudly calling out, "Where's my Bampy?" or when the phone rang with Declan calling to "talk with my Bampy." Michael, despite his illness, was determined to meet his second grandson, Conor, who was born on October 10th. Michael did get to hold his grandson and note that Conor has his nose.

Michael was preceded in death by his parents, Mary and Joseph Wells, his mother-in-law Marion McGilvray, his sister Sheila Edmonds and her husband, Dick, his sister Eileen Sapienza and his nephew, Michael Sapienza. He is survived by his wife, Marcia (McGilvray), sons Michael Wells and his wife Lynne, Paul Wells and his wife Nora and their two sons Declan and Conor, his brother Joseph and his wife Jacquelyn, sister Judy and her husband Philip Callanan, brother-in-law Edmond Sapienza, and many nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews. In addition to his family, Michael leaves behind many friends. Michael will be greatly missed by all fortunate enough to have known him.

Funeral services will be held from the McLaughlin - Dello Russo Family Funeral Home, 60 Pleasant St., Woburn on Saturday, October 22nd, at 9 a.m. followed by a funeral Mass at St. Charles Borromeo Church at 280 Main St., Woburn, at 10 a.m. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Calling hours at the McLaughlin - Dello Russo Funeral Home will be held on Friday, from 4 thru 8 p.m. Services will conclude with burial at Calvary Cemetery, Woburn. It has been requested that in lieu of flowers contributions may be made in Michael's memory to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 10 Brookline Place West, Sixth Floor, Brookline, MA 02445-7226.

Obituary and photo courtesy of the Dello Russo Funeral Home.