LeRoy Wallace Wells

LeRoy Wallace Wells was born on October 16th, 1936, to Gerold Wallace Wells and Marie Violet Abrahamson Wells in Newman, Stanislaus County California.

LeRoy was the third child of five born to Gerold and Marie, Floyd was born after LeRoy and then Jerry was born and was the baby of the family, but LeRoy was still his mother’s favorite, according to his brothers and sisters.

LeRoy worked on his father’s dairy growing up and then took a job working on the tugs and barges for Tidewater Sand and Gravel in the Oakland California- San Francisco Bay area.

LeRoy married Lillian Ellen Martin on September 14, 1957, in California. After the wedding LeRoy kissed Lillian goodbye and had to go back to Oakland to work.

After working on the tugs and barges in the bay area LeRoy came back to the dairy business and ran a dairy for a family friend and had a dairy of his own.

LeRoy always wanted to move to Colorado, even though he had never been there, so he sold his cows and farm equipment and moved to Colorado in 1966. He bought a 160-acre farm in Delta, sight unseen, and he and Lillian and their five children arrived on Christmas 1966. After being in Colorado LeRoy and Lillian brought two more children into the family.

LeRoy farmed and grew sugar beets, wheat, barley as well as alfalfa and corn. To offset the cost of farming and the economy LeRoy started a construction/excavation company, known as Dirt Merchant Construction.

LeRoy worked the farm and construction company for many years and was very successful. LeRoy was responsible for leveling most of the farms in the Delta and Olathe areas as well as multiple businesses, roads, ponds/lakes and everything else such as pipelines, ditches and anything dirt related across the Western Slope.

LeRoy worked very hard and would say he felt good when he worked and if you have time for other things, you have time to work. LeRoy was known for his hard work ethic and willingness to help others.

LeRoy and Lillian joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints January of 1974 and have been active members since that time. They raised their children in the church and recognize the positive impact the Gospel of Jesus Christ had on their children and family.

LeRoy is survived by his beloved wife Lillian of 67 years and his children LeRoy Jr., Ricky (Nicole), Tina (Teddie), Tommy, Brian, Shon (Teresa) and Troy (Jana) as well as 24 grand-children and 32 great-grandchildren. LeRoy is also survived by his brother Jerry (Janet) of California as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

LeRoy was proceeded in death by his parents and sisters, Evelyn and Leona and his brother Floyd. He was also proceeded in death by three grandchildren, Jason, Ryan and Kacey Wells.