Dr. Donald Otis Wells
Dr. Donald O. Wells: A Life
Dr. Donald Wells (Don) signed off on his final page on July 2, 2023. Don’s life played out more as anthology than single volume, with the last and happiest chapters written in the Annapolis Valley. Here, Don met and married the love of his life, Audrey Sanson-Wells, and achieved his proudest accomplishment: the realization of Valley Hospice where, fittingly, he ended his days, Audrey by his side.
Don was born under a fortunate star, with gifts of academic brilliance, passion for community local and large, a love of music, and even a natural gift for swinging a bat/club. He had all of the soaring joys and searing pain common to a long life. He made his mistakes, learned how to be imperfect, and, perhaps uncommonly, accept imperfections in others. You could talk to him, and know you would get his attention and thoughtfulness without judgment. Don met Nelson Mandela; he saved a neighboring woman from a dog. From the great to the ordinary, he honored all.
Everything we gather leads up to this day, and so it was with Don. He studied, traveled, lived and loved, all making him the person he became, and was, when he came to the Annapolis Valley 25 years ago.
Early Years
Don’s parents were married in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They avoided disapproval of their youthful union by eloping, after which they ate ice cream. Don was their first born, followed by David and Diana.
Don shared some memories of Pittsburgh on the 75th anniversary of D-Day:
"Just a brief note remembering 1944. We were very scared, as I remember. Not knowing the future, and with the U.S. being threatened on the Atlantic and the Pacific both, there was a general feeling of unease. But D-Day provided the first beacon of hope.
I also remember going to see a landing ship (barge) being built somewhere in Pittsburgh. My Dad took me and some other kids. It was being shown as part of the effort to support the sale of government bonds (called Victory Bonds). The boat looked just like the pictures of the ones with the troops landing in 1944 now seen on TV.
The Canadians landed on Juno Beach, while the Americans landed on Omaha Beach and Utah Beach. There were also British and French troops landing elsewhere.
Much later, I also remember both VE-Day and VJ-Day. We lived about two miles from US Route 30, which then was a major east-west route across Pennsylvania. On those two days all the semi-trucks (and other vehicles) constantly blew their airhorns as they drove along the highway. We went to East McKeesport, where the highway was, and watched. Many memories."
After the War, Don’s parents moved their young family across the country to Oakland, California, where Don attended Oakland Technical High School.
At eighteen, Don landed a scholarship to Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. Always fascinated by the functioning universe, Don studied physics, earning his B.Sc. (1955), M.Sc. (1956), and Ph.D. (1963) in nuclear physics, all from Stanford. Of course, studying physics leaves lots of spare time, which Don devoted to playing trombone in the Stanford Band, becoming manager of the band, and founding the Stanford "red vest" band (which plays in the off-season). On January 1, 2022, Don shared his memory of marching in the Rose Bowl Parade in 1952, and playing in the band on the field at the Rose Bowl:
"70 years ago, right now I was with 100 other Stanford students marching two miles to get to the parade route. Then the seven-mile parade, as it was then, and on to the game. We lost the game to Illinois badly, after leading for almost three quarters. But what an experience."
While still studying at Stanford, Don married his first wife Beverly. Don was only in his twenties and completing his degrees when he and Beverly welcomed the first four of their six children (Eric, Valana, Vanessa and Vanita), all born at Stanford, California. Fortunately for Don and Eric, the last two children to arrive - Barrett and Barton - evened out the boys/girls "teams".
Winnipeg
After graduating from Stanford and a stint at the University of Oregon, Don packed up his family in their red Buick station wagon and hit the cyclotron trail. Remember, Don was a nuclear physicist, and nuclear physics experiments can require large, very expensive pieces of equipment capable of shooting atoms through a controlled space (cyclotron, synchrotron, linear-accelerator). These are expensive and rare. The University of Manitoba was building a cyclotron and needed someone to lead the program. Don was honoured to be offered the position, so off went the Wells family to the heart of the frozen wasteland.
Nothing in Pittsburgh, let alone California, prepares one for a winter in Manitoba. But Don and his family survived, and Don thought: "What better place to start a swim club?" Thus, Don and a fellow professor at University of Manitoba, Steve Stothers, started the Manitoba Marlins, originally a tiny swim club with three families (Wellses, Stothers, and McGinnises). Today, fifty-four years later, the Manitoba Marlins is a popular swim club with over 250 members encompassing experience levels from beginners, to elite national swimmers, to Masters.
The Winnipeg years were the growing years for Don’s children. He paired his role of father with that of swim coach, taking on a widely expanded "family" of young swimmers. Mornings began with a 5:45 a.m. swim practice. Weekends revolved around swim meets, with trips to Dairy Queen and MacDonalds to top off evenings at the Pan-Am Pool. (Don always did love his Dairy Queen). Don took his Marlins to Nationals, and coached several Manitoba teams. Don played significant roles with the Canadian Amateur Swimming Association (Manitoba), including acting as manager for two Olympic Trials and three additional Nationals.
In his work life, Don devoted endless energy and hours to improving the University, first as a Physics professor, and then, adding administration to his repertoire, as Assistant Vice President followed by Vice President. Don contributed both to the University of Manitoba, and to broader programs serving higher education across the country, on subjects as diverse as university grants and collective bargaining.
University President
Don’s achievements gained national recognition in the academic world, and, in 1986, after his children were grown, Don accepted a position as President and Vice-Chancellor at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick. Following his five-year term at Mount A., Don returned to the prairies, becoming President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Regina.
As President of each of these institutions, Don continued pouring his energies into community programs as well as numerous efforts to improve Canada’s higher education system. Don’s participation in the various committees, commissions, boards, and other groups devoted to these causes fill pages of his Curriculum Vitae. Characteristically, Don was not content with a more-than-full-time job. He had more to give, and he did. Canada noticed, and awarded Don the Canada 125th Anniversary Medal.
In 1998, at 65, Don retired from the Presidency of the University of Regina. During this time, in 1990, Don married his second wife Deborah. Deborah accompanied Don to his second presidency at U of R.
Annapolis Valley
Don chose to retire to the Annapolis Valley. He built a house, designed by brother-in-law Terry Tusher, overlooking the water and its tides, which is a perfect vantage point for tracking the significant eagle population.
Despite retirement, Don continued life as he had led it, contributing to Wolfville Rotary, the lifelong learning program at Acadia University including a "Senior University Exchange" with China, Valley Regional Hospital and Valley Hospice Foundation in Kentville, and volunteering with the Red Cross to help Kosovo refugees. While this part of the story is not about honors and awards, Don would want to say that he earned the respect of Wolfville Rotary, resulting in a Paul Harris Fellow award as well as a "True Rotarian Award."
As Don’s wife Audrey lovingly observed, it’s difficult to list out all of the things Don has accomplished without sounding like a job application. This is a life story, and a love story, so in this final chapter we focus on exactly that: his life and love in the Annapolis Valley.
In the beginning, Don moved to Port Williams with Deborah. They later divorced. Don later married Eileen. She died in 2007, Eileen’s death was a gut punch. All of this awakened in him a humbling sense of humanity. Don became, not a different person, but a person of fuller dimensions with a better understanding of the human condition. Someone with whom you could clink a glass of Scotch and confess your sins.
Don and Audrey, by nature, loved life and wanted to live it. The two married in 2013.
Don’s days were full, over-committing was one of his best things. He played trombone in an orchestra and two bands (Four Seasons Community Orchestra, Nova Swing Band, and Kings Community Concert Band). He continued with Rotary, and fanatically played golf at the Ken-Wo Golf Club. As their three original dogs ended their happy lives, Don’s daughter Valana (a hobby breeder of Clumber Spaniels) presented Don and Audrey with a Clumber Spaniel. Both Don and Audrey doted on her, and she made the third point of their triangle. Don enjoyed Wednesday poker night, the couple hosted many an evening at their home and frequented both the Port Pub and the Blomidon Inn.
Don and Audrey travelled extensively, in Europe, as well as to California, Hawaii, Arizona, and Connecticut to visit Don’s family. Don had previously travelled in Europe for meetings to discuss physics with other researchers, but these trips with Audrey allowed for a more cultural perspective, understanding the everyday lives of those living a different experience.
Don’s proudest accomplishment, by his own testimony, is the creation of The Valley Hospice. This project came to him through Rotary. Realization of Valley Hospice was a long, long road involving many community members. Don used his skills and knowledge to work and to be an amazing influence as board member and Vice-President of the Valley Hospice Foundation. As the hospice project progressed, Don was an integral member of the Advisory Committee and planning team for the design and build of The Valley Hospice. The journey began before Don met Audrey, but Audrey joined Don on it. Don understood fundraising, because fundraising is a big part of a university president’s job. So, he used that talent and administrative experience for the Valley Hospice. Don worked with the Advisory Committee and the architect, who designed the hospice building to mimic a giant bird just raising its wings for flight. Don played with the Nova Swing Band as part of Gala to raise funds for The Hospice. All of the rooms at Valley Hospice are named for birds; Don and Audrey brought the films of Dr R. Stern to create framed prints identifying the bird name for each room name, such as photo of a Blue Jay for the Blue Jay Room (Don’s room). Don focused obsessively on every detail. In the end, Valley Hospice became everything Don envisioned, and more. More, because the humanity, generosity, and grace of staff at Valley Hospice cannot be fundraised, or otherwise part of a plan. Don left Valley Hospice to the commanding strains of Aaron Copland’s "Fanfare for The Common Man." Don was very grateful for all of his healthcare providers.
With Don’s death, we, the family, lose, grieve, and mourn. And the world has lost a light. But Don left us with a better university system, better educational opportunities, a swim club in Winnipeg, a loving and gentle place to die, and an infinite number of human-to-human warm touches changing the world forever. Whatever religious beliefs one may hold, that, itself, is immortality.
Some Details
Audrey Sanson-Wells is Don’s wife.
Don is one of three children. He was predeceased by his brother David in 2017. He is survived by his sister Diana and her husband Terry Tusher; as well as David’s wife, Sarah Wells.
Don has six children:
Eric is a pediatrician and is married to Evelyn. They have two children: Callista and Orion.
Valana is a mechanical engineering professor at Arizona State University. She is married to Kent Lall and has one son: Sean Otis Wells Rutherford.
Vanessa is a lawyer, and animal lover, with (currently) eleven dogs and nine horses. She has one son: Nicholas Alasdar Prion Wells.
Vanita is a Vice-President (Operations) at Meta’s (Facebook) Reality Labs. She is married to Mark Della Maggiora. Vanita and Mark have two sons: Dylan and Devin. Dylan is married to Teresa Wisecarver, and they have two children (Don’s great-grandchildren), Declan and Quinn.
Barrett (Barry) is Associate Dean for Science at University of Connecticut, having followed Don’s footsteps into Physics and then added university administration to his resume. Barry is married to Kathy Pae, and they have one son, Kory.
Barton (Bart) is an entrepreneur, seeking to use his mathematical brilliance and aptitude for AI modeling in various fields. His lifelong partner is Heidi George.
A Service for Donald Otis Wells will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, August 14, 2023 in St. John’s Anglican Church, Wolfville. The Reverend Nicole Uzans officiating. There will be a livestream available at the time of the service and a video recording will be hosted on the funeral home website, for those unable to attend. An ice cream and champagne reception will follow at Ken-Wo Golf Course, New Minas, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
For those contemplating a tribute, Don suggests Valley Hospice or Open Arms in lieu of flowers. True to his spirit, however, Don supports any charity of your choice.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Kentville. To view the livestream and for on-line condolences or inquiries please visit: www.whitefamilyfuneralhome.com.