ROCKINGHAM — A longtime Richmond County doctor and Navy veteran passed away this week, less than a month away from turning 75.
Dr. Wendell D. Wells III died Aug. 24 at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst following “a courageous battle against lung cancer,” according to his obituary from Smith’s Funeral Home in Wadesboro.
Wells moved to Hamlet, joining Dr. Fred McQueen’s practice, after graduating from the UNC School of Medicine in 1979 and completing his residency in August, Georgia and Fayetteville, according to his obituary.
Wells then opened his own practice in Rockingham, serving patients from both Richmond and Anson counties for four decades, and according to his obituary, never took a sick day. He was also one of the few doctors who still made home visits.
“His patients loved and adored his dedication to them,” reads his obituary. “He was one of the few doctors left that still did home visits. His patients appreciated his sense of humor and brutal honesty about their health.”
One former employee says he treated his staff as equals.
“We worked as a team and our opinions and brain storms when it came to diagnosis mattered to him,” Charity Davis, who worked in Wells’ office for several years, said in Facebook post Wednesday upon hearing of his death. “He taught us so much and challenged our wit on a daily basis … It was truly an honor to work with him and his sister, Dr. Cynthia McLemore.”
Wells also served on the Hamlet City Council, was an “avid participant” in the Senior Games, and was involved with the Moore County Democratic Party and a lifetime member of the NAACP.
Wells was born Sept. 17, 1945 in Greensboro. His father, Wendell D. Wells Jr. was an educator and one of the Tuskegee Airmen. His mother, Lillian Graham Wells, was also an educator.
After graduating high school, Wells attended Hampton University and N.C. A&T University.
He voluntarily joined the U.S. Navy as a navigator and was later a pilot, flying more than 100 missions in Vietnam.
Between his military and medical careers, Wells worked for General Electric building trains and was a group representative for Prudential Insurance Company. He also attended law school at Rutgers University before returning to North Carolina and going to medical school.
A public viewing and family visitation is scheduled for 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday evening and there will be a private funeral Friday at St. James Catholic Church in Hamlet.
