James H. Wells
December 30, 1940 ~ October 6, 2022
Born in:
Middlebourne, WV
Resided in:
Weirton, WV
James H. “Jim” Wells of Weirton passed away after a brief illness on Thursday, October 6, 2022. He was 81.
Jim was born December 30, 1940, in Middlebourne, WV, the eldest of five children born to Herman and Viola “Imogene” Ferrell Wells.
Jim moved to Weirton and met the love of his life, Mary Lou Donley. Jim enlisted in the United States Army in 1962 They married while Jim was serving his country. After the service, Jim and Mary Lou settled in Weirton and were blessed with four children, nine grandchildren and ten greatgrandchildren.
Known as Diamond Jim on the C.B. Radio, Jim provided for his family by hauling steel as an owner and operator of his eighteen-wheeler. Even though he had a heart transplant twelve years ago he continued to drive his rig up to a few weeks ago.
Sadly, Mary Lou passed away on July 14, 2000.
Jim will be remembered as a quiet man with a big heart. He enjoyed spending time and eating with his friends at the State Line Diner, but nothing compared to the times he cherished with his family. That is when Jim was his happiest.
He will be remembered with love by his daughter, Carolyn (Bill) Shingleton; his sons, William “Bill” (Dawn) Wells, Brent (Tracy) Wells and Thomas “Tom” (Chantale) Wells; brother, Neil (Sharon) Wells; sisters, Marge Staley, Sharon Noland and JoAnn (Bob) Higgenbotham; sister in law, Carol (Dennis) Pinciaro; grandchildren, Tara (Nick) Frankovitch, Ryan (Kelley) Scott, Brandon (Deena) Scott, Brandon (Katie) Bolduc, Joey Wells, Samantha (Sean) Fair, Abby Wells, Karynnah (Brett) Wells and Samantha Shingleton; great grandchildren, Reese and Chase Wills, Mason, Riley, Reagan and Liam Scott, Drew and Juliana Tomshack and Ayla and Halle Bolduc.
A celebration of Jim’s life will be held with family and friends at a later date to be determined at the State Line Restaurant, where Jim ate three meals a day for the last 30 years.
Memorial contributions may be made in Jim’s memory to Donate Life America. www.donatelife.net
Share tributes at www.grecohertnick.com
Please know we have you in our thoughts & prayers at this sad time.
Sincerely, Mike & Marlene Runkel
Sincerely,
Tom & Priscilla Runkel
Brent, Tom and all of the Wells family, I am
saddened to learn of Jim’s passing. He was a good man and I always enjoyed working and talking with him. May he Rest In Peace.
Carolyn, Billy, Brent, Tom and families, Ernie and I are so very sorry for your loss. Your dad was an amazing man and a second father to many!! May God be with all of you in this trying time. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.
We are so saddened about your Dad’s passing. He was a great man & we thought a lot of him. I know Paul looked at him (and all of you) as family. We hope it helps to know others are sharing in your sorrow & are thinking of you at this time. He is at Peace now, never to suffer again. Find comfort in your memories of him, for with them, he will always be with you.
Sending love, hugs & prayers,
Paul & Michele
So sorry to hear of your Daddy’s passing….He was a wonderful man…I know it has been a long time passed since I saw him, but I thought a lot about him…
Last time was at the family reunion…Know my thoughts and prayers are with you all…God Bless …Louise Neff (Willis)….
Jim was the calmest person I’ve ever met and to be in this family, he definitely is in Heaven! He was one of my oldest friends – I’ve known Jim since I was 12 and being a chaperone for him and my sister, Mary Lou, so my Dad would let them date more than twice a week. Making Grandma Wells’ biscuits with him at Billy and Dawn’s house in CA once was a treat. I think he left out an ingredient because my version just doesn’t taste the same. Jim was a good husband, father, grandfather and more like a brother to me. So happy I saw him in August. RIP with Mary Lou.