Obituary for Donald Wellman

Ponca City Now - March 28, 2014 12:00 am

Donald Eugene Wellman of Blackwell, Oklahoma, died Thursday, March 27, 2014, at the Oklahoma Heart Hospital in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, at the age of 77 years.

Donald Eugene Wellman was born on May 6, 1936, in Palls, Virginia. He was the son of Charles and Lonnie (Poynter) Wellman. At the age of seven weeks his father passed away and the family moved to Minnesota where Don attended school. He later moved to Marysville, California, where he graduated high school. Following his education he entered the United States Army in 1953 serving until 1956. Following his discharge he married Barbara Hamon on May 25, 1957, in Reno, Nevada, and they made their home in Chino, California, where Don worked as a roofer. In 1974 they moved to Colorado where he began his own roofing company and later owned and operated a café. In 2001 they moved to Blackwell to retire. He was a little league coach, a member of the First Free Will Baptist Church and the N.R.A. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, carpentry work, sports and roller skating. He especially enjoyed mountain climbing “where he felt closest to God."

He is survived by his wife Barbara Jean Wellman of Blackwell; three sons, Edward L. Smith, Brian E. Wellman and wife Annette of Brighton, Colorado, and Donald L. Wellman and wife Kim of Thornton, Colorado; one daughter, Diane Moss and husband Dennis of Blackwell; two brothers, John Dobias and wife Marie of Vancouver, Washington, and David Dobias of Yuba City, California; two sisters, Marguerite Gerber and husband Ron of Yuba City, California, and Patsy Dorfler and husband Bill of Yuba City, California; eleven grandchildren, Damion, Justin, Brandon, Jeremy, Dareni, Kaila, Morgan, Nicole, Brianne, Jacob, and Jessica; and thirteen great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and one brother, Keith Wellman.

Services are scheduled for 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, April 1, 2014, at the First Free Will Baptist Church in Blackwell with Rev. Kevin Bookout officiating. Burial will follow in the Blackwell Cemetery.

Casketbearers will be Damion Kimbrel, Jeremy Wellman, Brandon Wellman, Jim Hooks, Don Wellman, Brian Wellman, John Ness and Dennis Moss.

A memorial has been established in his memory with The First Free Will Baptist Church and the N.R.A. c/o Roberts and Son Funeral Home, 120 W. Padon, Blackwell, Oklahoma. 74631.