Thurston Wesley Wells

Thurston Wesley Wells passed away on Monday, January 8, 2018.
Service: 2pm Saturday, January 13, 2018 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4401 NE Loop 820, Fort Worth, TX 76180. Visitation: Saturday, 12pm to 2pm at the Church. Burial with honors: 11:15 am, Tuesday, January 16, 2018 at The Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery, Dallas
Thurston Wesley Wells was born to Wesley L. and LaDean J. (Roske) Wells on 2 November 1940 in Salmon, Lemhi, Idaho. They moved to Hamilton, Montana for a few years, then a short time in Arizona before they settled in the San Fernando Valley in California where he graduated from High School. He was baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 6 September 1956. He attended church services, youth group activities and graduated from seminary in the Granada Hills Ward.
On 2 Dec 1959 he joined the United States Navy and was in Air Squadron VS-23 attached to the U.S.S Yorktown. He was a sonar radar technician aboard S2F airplanes. In 1961 he met Diann LaVonne Lyons and they married 8 April 1961 in San Diego, California and received the marriage ordinances in the Los Angeles Temple on 30 November 1963. They had three children: Scott Allen, LaVonne Annette and Dan Evan Wells.
After four years he was discharged and became part of the Viet Nam Veterans. They moved to Fort Worth Texas where he got a Job with Burroughs Corporation, an office machine company. Over the twenty-seven years with that company he attended many training schools as new equipment was developed, including computers. He was very talented at his job and advanced many times, including a Branch Manager. They moved many times: Utah, Wyoming, California, Idaho, Colorado, Michigan and then back to Texas. While living in Lubbock, Texas the three children were married. Scott and Jarelyn Roper were married in the Logan Utah Temple; LaVonne and Randall Rogers in the Saint George Utah Temple and Dan and Monica Hansen in the Manti Utah temple----all in the winter. He shook his head as we traveled through the snow to get to the weddings, but was so happy to be with them.
When the micro-chip was developed, many companies merged and downsized their staff. He did not like laying-off his technicians, but it was part of the job. Finally it became his turn to look for a new job. He worked for two different third party maintenance companies before he retired in 2004. It was not long before he found his way to the Artisan Center Theater where he worked for twelve years as both volunteer and employee. He made many friends and absolutely loved building sets more than any other task at the theater --- and there were many of them: carpentry, plumbing; electrical; flooring, air conditioning, etc. The people came and left over the years and there wasn’t one he did not call a friend. He appreciated all their talents and abilities and marveled at the performances in the theater. Larry Dibbler was his side-kick and friend. Thanks to Rick and DeeAnn Blair for their confidence, love and support.
Thurston and Diann served two local missions for their church: Bishop’s Storehouse Carrollton Texas, September 2004-August 2005 and Texas Fort Worth Facilites Management Mission, June 2006-June 2008. They also blessed to serve as ordinance workers in the Dallas Texas Temple for fourteen years.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Diann Wells; sons, Scott Wells and wife, Jarelyn and Dan Wells and wife, Monica; daughter, LaVonne Rogers and husband, Randall; grandchildren, Steven, Brandon and wife Ashley, Krista, Joshua, Taran, Afton, Timothy, Savanna, Jeremy, Ryan, Rhett and wife Kristalyn, Haley, Lauren, Kalli, Ryan, Nicole and husband, James, Danae, Wyatt, and Malinda; 9 great-grandchildren; sisters, Sharon Cracroft and husband David, and Raylene Christenson and husband, Clair; and many other extended family and friends.