Mona Wells

Mrs. Mona Wells passed away at Chinook Regional Hospital on Wednesday, January 4, 2017, at the age of 88 years.

Mona was born in Barbados on January 1, 1929.

Mona was predeceased by her parents Rupert Harvey Mayers and Hilda (Clarke) Mayers, plus brother Trevor. Hilda was the hard-working bedrock of the clan.

Mona’s five sisters are Peggy (Vernon) Marshall, Betty (Bert) Toppin, Nancy (Adrian) Roach, Hester (Rene) De Jonghe and Angela (Delisle) Ward. Conversations involving two or more boisterous “Mayers girls” often engendered amazement and amusement for others who happened to be in the area.

Mona’s father loved many sports. He played soccer for Barbados and went on to become a Barbados Turf Club Hall of Fame trainer and owner. Mona loved sports too and for a time she did the stable’s books. Mona might well have continued down the Sport of Kings’ trail if not for meeting a 1953-54 visiting Canadian teacher Allen Wells.

Mona moved to Ontario and married Allen in 1955. By 1958, son David appeared on the scene.

After a year in Sierra Leone, Mona and David arrived in Lethbridge in 1964, where Mona remained for the duration. She put previous banking experience with Barclays in Barbados to good use, working at the downtown CIBC branch for just shy of 30 years. Her conversational skills, not always requiring another participant, are still remembered fondly there by remaining workmates.

Mona was aided greatly raising David in Lethbridge by her mother-in-law Isa (Rollins) Wells. Mona truly enjoyed lasting fantastic relationships with the extended Wells family and appreciated them dearly.

Aunt Mona had a charming childlike quality. She was fittingly cherished by nieces and nephews, as well as “adopted” nieces and nephews.

Mona developed a true family-type relationship with a number of boarders, some of whom kept in close contact with her four decades after their stay at 3313 Lakeridge Blvd.

Although she did not take up culinary skills until moving to Canada Mona became a tremendous cook and baker. An invitation to her table was eagerly received by many.

Mona developed close friendships in Lethbridge. The longest lasting, of almost five decades, was with Eleanor Mehrer who supported Mona fiercely. For a good stretch before mortality intervened, Mona enjoyed attending a variety of sporting events with Virginia Jenkins.

Southminster United Church played a key role in Mona’s Lethbridge tenure.

During the last nine-plus years Mona lived in various residences, with the final and longest stay, approaching six years, at Fairmont Extendicare. Many in the staffs grew very fond of Mona and she grew very fond of them.

By her request, there was no church service for Mona. By her request, Mona was cremated.

By her son’s request, if you have the means seriously consider taking a trip to Barbados where you can enjoy the environment that helped produce his hero.

One final request from her son: If you knew Mona and think of her, smile.