Beatrice Wells

Beatrice Agnes Wells "Waonsida Win", 80, of Prairie Island, died Monday, March 22, 2010 at Deer Crest in Red Wing. She was born September 11, 1929 in Isabella County, Michigan to Jerome and Agnes (Shawano) Jones. She grew up on the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe Reservation. She married Leo Wells in June of 1948. They later divorced. She moved to Minnesota and for a number of years she worked and served on the St. Paul Indian Education Board. She was a life member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Women's Auxiliary and a life member of the VFW Women's Auxiliary.

She is survived by her caretaker/daughter, Doreen Wells-Hagen of Prairie Island; three sons, Dennis (Carlene) Wells, Richard Wells, Charlton (Sharon) Wells, and one daughter, Lylis (Loren) Siegel, all of Prairie Island; 17 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by two daughters, Janice and Denise; son, Jody, and three brothers, Clifford, William, and Floyd Shawano.

Visitation will begin after 12 p.m. Thursday, March 24 with a 7 p.m. prayer service at the Prairie Island Community Center. Funeral service will be 11 a.m. Friday, March 26, 2010 at the Prairie Island Community Center with Reverend Johnson Loud officiating. Burial will be at a later date in Michigan. Pallbearers will be Lawrence "Sonny" Wakeumup, Chad Wells, James Wells, Herbie Wells, Benjamin Wells, and Mario Diaz. Honorary pallbearers will be her granddaughters. Funeral arrangements by the Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel.