April 30, 1914 - July 23, 2009

Cornelia F. "Bill" Wells, 95, passed away peacefully after a long illness on July 23 in Albany.

Bill was born in Steamboat Springs, Colo., the third daughter of John C. and Mabel Clare (Miller) Visser. John had wanted a son so he called the new girl "Bill." She attended grade school at the Beaver Dam School in Opportunity, Mont., and junior high and high school in nearby Anaconda, graduating in 1932.

A lover of classical music, she took piano lessons and taught herself to play flute and piccolo, which she played in the Anaconda High School band and orchestra, earning band, orchestra and solo awards.

Bill married Rollien R. "Ray" Wells on Jan. 1, 1938, in Anaconda. The union lasted 63 years until Ray's death in 2004. They had two children, Dave and Ginny; three grandchildren, Sean Wells, Patrick Greeno and Eric Greeno; and four great-grandchildren, Kelby, Liam and Logan Greeno, and Ella Greeno, who survive her.

Because of Ray's work with the U. S. Department of the Interior, the family moved from Salt Lake City to Albany in 1948; to Juneau, Alaska, in 1950; to Silver Springs, Md., in 1959; and then back to Albany in 1972. Bill and Ray traveled extensively in the United States and Canada, and made visits to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, the Cook Islands, Norway, Britain, Holland, Belgium, France, Austria, Italy, Switzerland and South Africa.

Bill was active in the Presbyterian Church in Juneau, Silver Springs and Albany, serving as president of the Women's Association, chairperson of one of the Women's Circles, Youth Advisor and editor of church publications, deacon and elder. In Albany, she chaired the Worship and Music Commission, the Pastoral Associates Program and several other church-related committees and organizations.

Bill held positions as a law office clerk, typist, fiscal accounting and auditing clerk, and editorial assistant, retiring in 1970. She was an avid reader, student of archeology, and mountain climber. For three years (1952 to '54) she was president of the "Ship Shank and Shutter Club" which is the mountain climbing club in Juneau.

A memorial graveside service will be at 3 p.m. Aug. 29 at Willamette Memorial Park in Albany.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests gifts be made to the United Presbyterian Church's memorial fund or a charity of the giver's choice.

Fisher Funeral Home is handling arrangements (www.fisherfuneralhome.com).