Ross S. Wells Jr. (93), a beloved father, endearing husband, and community servant passed away peacefully in the night at his home surrounded by his family on May 26, 2025.
A calling hour will be from 10am-11am, prior to the service. Memorial services will be at 11am on Saturday June 7, 2025 at T R Jetty Funeral Home in Clayton, NY, with Lay Minister Mitch Robinson presiding. The burial will be at the Grove Cemetery in LaFargeville, NY, after the service. Family and friends are invited to gather at the Fisher’s Landing Firehall, following services at the gravesite.
Ross was born on April 21, 1932 in Chaumont, NY, son of the late Phoebe Robbins Daughen and Ross Wells Sr. He graduated from LaFargeville Central High School in 1950 and enlisted in the Army in 1954, where he proudly served for two years, primarily stationed in Germany at the end of the Korean War. He belonged to the American Legion (Klock-Smith Post #1788), actively marched in the annual Memorial Day parades and visited 5-7 cemeteries each year. Ross was proud of his service and expressed gratitude at being able participate in the Syracuse Honor Flight in 2018. Memorial Day was a most suitable day for Dad to make the journey on his final Honor Flight. He always did things ‘his way’ and on this his schedule.
Upon return from Germany, he worked at Crowley’s Milk Plant for 9 ½ years. He married Gertrude Recor Klock on August 8, 1959 at the Alexandria Bay United Methodist Church and became an instant father to her 5 small children. Over the next decade, they grew their family to nine. Some of our fondest memories of Dad included his love of vegetable gardening, mowing lawns and participating in community activities like butchering days, local Shivarees, and Saturday night square dancing.
He worked as a Civil Engineer for the NY State Department of Transportation allowing him provide for his family of nine until retiring in 1990 with 25 years of service. He volunteered for the Fisher’s Landing Fire Department for many years and in 2018 he raised money for United Way while participating in the Over the Edge fundraiser where he jumped off the top of the Mid-Town Towers (155 feet) building in Watertown at the age of 86.
His life was marked by quiet acts of generosity and service. He donated blood to the Red Cross for many years. He donated regularly to food pantries, supported the LaFargeville sports signage project and their local backpack program and was an active member of the First United Methodist Church in Omar, NY most of his life. He found great joy in mowing lawns and could often be found doing so at Omar Church & Cemetery, and for family members & neighbors on Robinson Road —always giving his time without expecting anything in return. He donated to T.I.E.R.S. as he was always thankful for their ambulance service when Mom needed it and in the past few years for himself. When he visited NC in the fall of 2024, there was massive flooding in the western region of the state and he insisted on donating money to that community and many other organizations over the years as well.
Ross loved his family and always felt blessed for all of their help as he got older. He took immense pride in walking each of his seven daughters down the aisle, a testament to his deep love and devotion as a father. He was known and loved by many as “Uncle Buddy” and his favorite saying was “Yeah, Yeah”. He and Gert spent many winters in their Florida home, enjoyed making new friends and spending time with their northern New York friends who were also there for the winter.
Ross Wells Jr. leaves behind a legacy of compassion, humility, and unwavering dedication to others. He regularly visited friends and neighbors in their homes and in the hospital, knowing how lonely it can be when you are sick or just getting older.
Ross loved building things, including: Mom’s beloved cottage on Moon Lake, the house he built and resided in until his passing on Robinson Road, in addition to the ‘pasture house’ that he built down the road. He built a big wagon (called “HiGuy”) & loved driving all of the grandkids around in it with his 4Wheeler. He loved his animals, maintaining a subsistence farm with cows, pigs, chickens, & goats for many years. He also kept many beloved dogs and cats, cherishing a very special relationship with Gypsy Rose and Loki in his final years. He loved baseball and had become friends with a local MLB player Frank Smith, (pitcher for Cincinnati) early in his career and remained friends until Frank’s passing. He was also a NY Mets fan and enjoyed the Red & Black football team of Watertown (where several nephews played), the Buffalo Bills and Syracuse basketball.
He is survived by his nine children: Joy (Billy) Joles of Theresa, Robert (Jane) Klock of Spencer NY, Ann Owens of Syracuse, Mary Jares (companion Dave Levy) of Eaton, CO, Trudy (Doug) Heatherly of Cary NC, Sara Wells of Oswego, Linda (Thomas) Hurteau, Christy Angus & Michael Wells all from Clayton, NY, 21 grandchildren and 41 great-grandchildren, and two sisters Anna VanTassel, Central Square & Janet Wells, LaVerkin, UT. He is predeceased by his wife of 55 years (Gertrude Klock Wells), son-in-laws: Tom Owens & Terry Jares, four sisters: June Donaghy, Fedora Hotis, Lana Petrie, Caroline Wells and his brother Louis Wells.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to the Omar-Fishers Landing United Methodist Churches, Hospice of Jefferson County, or T.I.E.R.S. in Jefferson County.
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