Roger Clinton Wells

Roger was born to Harold and Ethel (Eseltine) Wells on April 17, 1946 in Potsdam. The Wells family lived in several communities in northern New York before settling in Bloomingdale in 1960. Roger is a 1964 graduate of Saranac Lake High School. After graduation, he entered into the U.S. Navy.

Upon his honorable discharge from the military, Roger briefly worked at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft in Connecticut. He returned to the Adirondacks in 1972 to begin his lifelong career in the telecommunications industry starting with Resort Cable Television in Saranac Lake, at the time a Cox Communications property. Later he held various leadership positions with MetroVision and Time Warner Cable. Additionally, he and several partners formed Lighthouse Communications, a fiberoptic cable construction company. He retired from Time Warner Cable in 2010 as vice president and regional manager.

Roger was predeceased by his parents; a brother, James; a sister, Sharon Stanley; her husband, Ira E. Stanley; a brother-in-law, Alfred B. Etheridge; and a niece, Michelle Jackson.

He is survived by his loving wife Evelyn (Hoskin) Wells and their blended family. Roger has two daughters from a previous marriage, Kelly Ann Wells and Jessica Wells Hodge. He also has five step-children: Heather (Krieger) Massie, Jennifer (Krieger) Bachmann, Jason Worley, Kira (Worley) Layton and Raymond Worley. He and Evelyn have fourteen grandchildren: Brandon, Alesiah, Kaylee, Mikey, Hanna, Brody, Samantha, Tyler, Madelin, Andrew, Haley, Dylan, Ava, John, and two great-granddaughters, Amaris and soon to be McKayla.

In addition, he is survived by his sister Mary Ellen Etheridge and five brothers: Keith, Darrell, Bruce, Brian and Kevin, and many nieces and nephews.

As a pre-teen Roger was responsible for the day-to-day chores on a small dairy farm in northern New York. Even at this young age he understood accountability, a trait that served him well later in life as a business leader. As a community leader, he devoted time to youth activities as a coach for Little League baseball, basketball and youth hockey. Those who knew him best will remember his quick smile and welcoming personality. He enjoyed playing golf and his left-handed swing produced a slice that would put a ball nearly into orbit before settling down somewhere on the fairway. Above all, Roger loved spending time with family.

Funeral services will be in the care of Faries Funeral Home in Smyrna, Delaware. At Roger’s request, funeral arrangements will be private. To share a memory or to plant a tree in Roger’s memory visit fariesfuneralhomes.com.