ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, March 29, 1997 TAG: 9703310072
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-2 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: NEWS OBIT
SOURCE: JON CAWLEY THE ROANOKE TIMES
Wells served on the Salem City Planning Commission and was a president of the Salem Historical Society.
William G. Wells Sr., a former Roanoke Valley architect whose firm designed many local landmarks including the Salem Civic Center died Thursday at the age of 85.
Wells, a lifelong resident of Salem, was co-founder of the Wells & Meagher architectural firm. Wells & Meagher designed the civic center, Catawba Hospital, Cave Spring High School and William Ruffner Middle School among other projects. Wells retired in 1993.
After graduating from Virginia Tech, in 1934, and attending the Tech graduate program, Wells entered military service and became a second lieutenant in the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II. He spent a total of seven years with the corps.
Wells' served as an assistant district engineer in Oak Ridge, Tenn., during the last year chemicals were produced to develop the atomic bomb. He later toured Japan, with the Strategic Bombing Survey, to assess structural damage from the allied bombing.
In 1956 Wells mounted an unsuccessful bid for a position on Salem's Town Council, filing the same day as former Salem Mayor James Moyer, according to a Roanoke Times article.
After the race for town council Wells remained in the forefront of civic activities. He served on the Salem City Planning Commission and was a president of the Salem Historical Society.
Roanoke College history professor Mark Miller, also a former president of the historical society, knew Wells for a decade and was on hand during the effort to move the Brown-Williams House-Store through Longwood Park to its present location and conversion to the Salem History Museum.
"Billy was the one who oversaw what happened next [after the move] to convert the house into the museum," Miller said. "He worked, probably more than anybody, to reassure folks that, yes, that makes sense [to move the building]."
"I always found him to be an energizing force on the [Salem Historical Society] board. He never shied away from difficult questions," Miller said. "He was a tough cookie - in the best way."
Wells is survived by two sons, a daughter and five grandchildren. Memorial services will be held today, at 2 p.m., at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Salem.
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Wellsby CNB