Rita Ann Ellis Wells

Rita Ann Ellis Wells of Bostic, NC passed away Thursday, November 9, 2023.

She was the daughter of the late George Cleo and Lillian Greene Ellis and the older sister of the late Olivia Gail Ellis Toney.

She is survived by her husband of nearly 62 years, Claude Robert Wells, Jr. and daughters Renee Wells Crawford (Calvin) of Bessemer City, and Regina Wells Boyd (Woody) of Waynesville, and three grandchildren.

Rita was a 1959 graduate of Ellenboro School. She was called to a career of nursing and graduated from Gaston Memorial School of Nursing in 1962. She spent her career of 43 years in nursing in Cleveland County. She began as a nurse with a private practice before joining the staff of Royster Memorial Hospital where she became Director of Nursing. She worked until 2005 with the Cleveland County Health Department. She organized the Alzheimer Support Group for Cleveland, Rutherford and Polk Counties as well as wrote and created an Alzheimer's Support Guide for Caregivers.

She was brought up along with her family in Concord Baptist Church. She later became a member of Salem United Methodist Church.

Services were held November 13 at Padgett and King Chapel with Rev. Ad Hopper and Pastor E. Scott Whitener officiating.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks loved ones to consider making donations in Rita's memory to the Alzheimer's Association, Hospice of Cleveland County, or South Mountain Christian Youth Camp.

An online guest registry is available at www.padgettking.com