Joseph Louis Wells Jr., Lt. Colonel, USAF (Retired)

April 20, 1929 – March 24, 1981

Wells, Lt. Col. (USAF, Ret.) Joseph L. 60 of 10366 Antilles Drive, Largo, died Tuesday (March 24, 1981).

Born in Muscle Shoals, Ala., he came here 11 years ago from Great Falls, Mont., and retired from the military after 27 years of service. He also was a supervising counselor of vocational rehabilitation for the State of Florida. He was a member of the Retired Officers Association, Jolly Green Pilot Association, Air Sea Rescue Service and received the Presidential Legion of Merit Award.

Survivors include his wife, Janet; a son Charles, Tallahassee; four daughters, Martha and Kathy, both of Largo, JoAnne Paris, Watertown, N.Y., and Dianne Gardner, St. Petersburg, and his mother Martha Everett, Clearwater.

Lewis W. Mohn Funeral Home, Seminole

Lt. Col. Wells served in the Vietnam war as a HH-3E pilot in the 38th ARRS, Det. 5 & 1 in the 1967 time frame.