Jerry Franklin Wells

Jerry's Obituary Jerry Franklin Wells, age 73, of Jackson, TN, passed away on June 24, 2013, at his home. He was born March 30, 1940, in Madison County to the late Frank and Margaret Marie Wells of the Walnut Hill Community in Bells. Jerry grew up in Bells and graduated from Bells High School where he was a standout athlete at both basketball and baseball. After high school graduation, he was scouted by the Pittsburg Pirates and attended their spring training, but chose to play college ball instead. He married his high school sweetheart, Julia Tankersley Wells in 1959, and enrolled at the University of Tennessee, where he played and lettered in baseball each year before his graduation. After graduation from U.T., he and his family moved back to their home in Bells where he was employed as a production supervisor by The Winter Garden Freezer Company and later became a Sales Representative for the company. In 1976, Jerry established a farming operation where he grew vegetables for processing by Winter Garden. Before retirement, Jerry and his friend Bob Ingram founded Rollout Express, a trucking company partnership that was successful for more than a decade. Jerry's great love for sports found him on a baseball diamond, a basketball, racquetball or tennis court, or a golf course most weekends. He was known as a great competitor in all of these sports. As a child, Jerry was a member of Walnut Hill Baptist Church and most recently was a member of Christ Community Church in Bells. Survivors are his wife of 54 years, Julia Tankersley Wells; a daughter, Phara Lee Wells Roland; three sons, Joseph Blair Wells (Tami), Jonathan Ingram Wells, Jason Franklin Wells (Caroline); four granddaughters, Haley Roland Terry, Rebecca Blair Wells, Kirby Lea Wells, and Carson Julia Wells; a grandson, West Fisher Wells; and a great grandson, Elijah Ingram Terry. In addition, he is survived by a sister, Lina Grammer (Phil) and a brother, Bill Wells (Anne). In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Paul Donald Wells. Services for Jerry Wells will be held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, June 27, at Walnut Hill Baptist Church, with the Reverend Mark Howard and Reverend Daphne Moses officiating. Interment will follow in Belleview Cemetery in Bells. Visitation will be held from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 26, at Bells Funeral Home. Pallbearers will be Wallace Eubanks, Wesley Eubanks, Jamey Tankersley, Emmett Barker, Tommy Green, Jonathan McAnulty, and Nicholas Bond. Special thanks to Nicholas Bond, Michael Clark, Nancy Thompson, Maxine Clark, Jimmy Davis, Shwanna Anderson, and Valerie Miller for constant love and care. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be directed to the Crockett County Dixie Youth League Jerry Wells Memorial Fund, c/o M&F Bank, Box 580, Bells, TN 38006. Read More Read Less