Lasting Memories

Ed Wells
Aug. 15, 1923-Feb. 7, 2015
Portola Valley, California

Edwin A. Wells Jr. ? municipal finance consultant, civil engineer, Stanford graduate, Wolrd War II Army veteran, civic volunteer ? died peacefully on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2014, surrounded by family at his home of more than 50 years in Portola Valley, California. He was 91.

Born in Palo Alto, California, Ed was the eldest son of Edwin A. Wells Sr. and Mildred In de Betou Thompson Wells.

He graduated from San Rafael High School, where his father was the principal.

In 1942-43, he worked in Alaska and the Yukon Territory as a survey crewman on the Alaska-Canadian Highway.

In 1944-45, he served as a sergeant in the Army 776th Field Artillery Battalion in Europe. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge and participated in the German surrender. He remained in France for a year after the war ended, assisting with reconstruction efforts.

On his return, he entered Stanford University, where he was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity, and he met his wife Alison. They were married in 1949.

Ed earned a BS in 1949 in civil engineering and an MS in 1950 in hydraulics. He transferred to U.C. Berkeley and earned a degree of civil engineer in sanitary engineering in 1952.

He worked for Clyde Kennedy Engineers (1952-55) and Stone & Youngberg (1955-64).

In 1964, Ed co-founded Bartle Wells Associates, the first independent municipal financing consulting firm on the West Coast. The firm specialized in financing planning for major regional water and sewer programs.

In 1971 he was a principal author of the State Revenue Program Guidelines for federal and state pollution control grants. In 30 years, his firm sold over three billion dollars of tax-exempt securities for sewer and water districts, cities and counties.

He was instrumental in the creation of the National Association of Independent Public Finance Advisors. He retired in 1994; Bartle Wells recently celebrated its 50th year in business.

Ed helped incorporate the town of Portola Valley in 1964. He served as town treasurer for the town?s first 13 years, and remained active in civic affairs.

Bringing his love of wine back from France, Ed planted one of Portola Valley?s first vineyards, and with his family hosted an annual grape stomping to produce Le Pont du Diable Cellier Wells wine. The vineyard still produces Cabernet and Chardonnay grapes, and the motto remains: "There is no bad wine."

Ed led his family on numerous adventures, including camping and backpacking trips through the Sierra Nevada Mountains, a road and canoe trip to Alaska, extensive travel abroad, and family field trips to see important public works monuments, such as the California Aqueduct and a landmark sewage treatment plant in Contra Costa County.

With a deep affinity for being useful, Ed found creative ways to help many people improve their education, homes and careers. His generosity, impeccable timing telling a story, and ability to engineer a solution to almost any problem will be greatly missed by his family, friends and colleagues.

Ed is survived by: his wife of 65 years, Alison Dice Wells; children Ed (spouse Martha, University Park, MD), Donn (spouse Janette, Portland, OR), David (spouse Stephanie, Wilbur, WA), Carolyn (Diamond Springs, CA), Richard (Sonoma, CA), Janet (Berkeley, CA); grandchildren Kelly (spouse Christoph Dankert, El Paso, TX), Jason (spouse Angela, Fremont, CA), Colin (Portland, OR); great-grandchildren Mitchell, Charlotte, Jameson (Fremont, CA).

At Mr. Wells? request, there will be no services. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to: Guide Dogs for the Blind; Peninsula Open Space Trust; or the charity of your choice.