Stuart S. Wells Obituary

Stuart S. Wells attended Valhalla High School in El Cajon, CA. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Stuart S. Wells.

Graduation Year	Class of 1979
Date of Passing	May 28, 2012
About	Stuart S. Wells Birth Date March 6, 1961 Death Date May 28, 2012 Age 51 WELLS, STUART March 6, 1961 to May 28, 2012 Stuart Wells, age 51, died Memorial Day after a courageous battle with melanoma. Stuart was born in San Diego, graduated from Valhalla High School and received a Bachelor of Arts from Lewis & Clark College in 1983. His governmental relations career began with the National Association of Homebuilders in Washington, DC, where he met his wife Debby. They married in 1990, and while living in Maryland had two daughters. In 1998, the family relocated to San Diego where he worked for the City's Intergovernmental Relations Department. In 2000, he began his 12-year career with SDGE. Stuart joked that he had a bullseye on his back as he represented industries in crisis. He survived solar energy debates, logging price swings, spotted owls conservation efforts, WTO riots, rate increases, downed power lines and firestorms, which explains why he always kept a hardhat in his car. Stuart's leadership roles with the League of California Cities, the California State Assoc. of Counties, the El Cajon Chamber of Commerce, to name a few, gave him great satisfaction as he could pursue what he did best - form genuine, lasting alliances with people. With unflagging devotion to his Pads and Bolts and a fine Cab, "the Dude" also enjoyed golf, basketball, ping pong - even breakdancing - as well as poker, wiffle ball tournaments and rotisserie baseball competitions. Opening Day, the Holiday Bowl, being in Mammoth, and attending his girls' plays and concerts were cherished pastimes. He traveled the world in his 20s, and would go even further to see Springsteen at any age. Stu's red head towered above everyone, fitting stature for the larger-than-life person he was Ultimately though, everything took a back seat to his commitment to his daughters. He treasured time with them most. Stuart is survived by his wife Debby, daughters Caroline and Abby, mother Carol, father Paul, of El Cajon, CA; his brother Paul Jr., niece Chloe and Paul's wife Lisa and daughter Meg, all of Denver, CO; the league of little cousins, the band of brothers he called "his boys" and his adoring in-laws. A service to honor Stuart's life will be held at 3 p.m., Monday, June 11 at Foothills United Methodist Church in La Mesa, with Rev. John Farley officiating. www.caringbridge.org/visit/ stuartwells/journal In Stu's honor, live large and protect your skin from the sun. Published in The San Diego Union Tribune on June 6, 2012