Louise Yoder Wells | Educator, 84

Louise Yoder Wells, 84, formerly of Media, a retired educator, died of Parkinson's disease May 14 at Kendal at Longwood in Kennett Square.

For more than 10 years, Mrs. Wells served on the faculty at Agnes Irwin School in Rosemont as an English teacher, head of the middle school, and dean of admissions. She retired in 1988. Previously she taught at Wilmington Friends School in Delaware. She also taught at Media Friends School, and, as headmistress at the school in the 1960s, hired its first African American teacher, her stepson, Richard, said.

Mrs. Wells graduated from Swarthmore High School and attended Swarthmore College. She later earned a bachelor's degree from West Chester State Teachers College, now West Chester University, and a master's degree in English literature from Villanova University.

She played piano and spoke fluent French and German. She traveled abroad often and visited England more than a dozen times. She loved Thomas Hardy, the Bronte sisters, Shakespeare, and other giants of English literature, her stepson said, and was a stickler for proper grammar in speech and writing.

Mrs. Wells had three daughters with her first husband, Eldon Lindley, before they divorced. She also raised two nieces after her sister Dorothy died.

In 1967 she married Hermon Wells, a widower with four children. They had a son together.

Hermon Wells died in 2007. She was also predeceased by a daughter, Laura; a stepdaughter, Sarah; and a niece. In addition to her stepson, she is survived by son Daniel; daughters Rachel D'Alonzo and Anne Earle; stepdaughters Carolyn and Martha Wells; a niece; two brothers; a sister; 12 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and her former husband.

A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. June 15 at Kendal at Longwood, 1109 E. Baltimore Pike, Kennett Square.

Memorial donations may be made to Media-Providence Friends School, 125 W. Third St., Media, Pa. 19063.