LINDA WELLS April 30, 1930 – Oct. 31, 2023
Linda Mary (Lundgren) Wells was brought into this world during a raging tornado in Kansas City, Missouri, on April 30, 1930. A Daughter of the American Revolution, she grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota and in Eureka Springs, Arkansas where she met and married her first husband, John L. Lundgren. They moved to Los Alamos with their young daughter, Lucille Lundgren, in the 1950s. This husband of 25 years and Linda worked at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory; he, a nuclear engineer and she, an eyes-only cold war patriot.
A private property ownership activist, she was instrumental in the opening of lot sales in the first sub-division of Barranca Mesa and purchased Lot #6. They joined with three other families and tore down a LASL building known as “B” Building. They used the materials to build their houses on the mesa, largely do-it-yourself. Linda used the dimensions of the salvaged I Beams and steel posts to draw the plans for their custom-designed brick ranch style home. After the years of building was complete, she resided there for over 60 years. In recent years, she was proud to say that she was the longest living private property owner in Los Alamos.
Skiing was a favorite pastime beginning on Sawyer’s Hill and then onto Pajarito Mountain after her husband helped install the first diesel engine powered rope tow on the Lumberyard run. Her dozens of Los Alamos Ski Club lift passes attest to the decades of joyful downhill skiing during the memorable times of abundant snow in this “best kept secret” skiing paradise.
She and her second husband, of 44 years, Mark B. Wells were also avid skiers. She loved camping in the Rocky Mountains. They were leaders in the hiking club “the Irregulars” for many years, hiking the wonderful trails of Northern NM. She collected all the “high points” in America (except Denali) as well as many more during their extensive world travels. Linda enjoyed sailing their boat, when the snow melted. She cultivated and canned a magnificent organic vegetable garden with fruit trees that fed them for decades.
Linda had a passion for her family and was an advocate of formal education. She was determined and resourceful in everything she did. She was a master gardener, a seamstress, an expert in Bit O’ Sweden etiquette training, an avid book reader, and loved blueberry Eggo waffles.
Linda M. Wells passed at the age of 93 years. Linda was preceded in death by her husbands, John Lynn Lundgren and Mark Brimhall Wells; her son, Dean John Wells; a grandson, Joseph F. Johnson; her parents, W. Ray Sanders and Eloise Sanders Brown; and two sisters, Stella Rae Bucknam and Georgia Sanders.
She is survived by daughter, Lucille Lund; sister, Berta Barker; granddaughter, Angela Taylor, great-grandchildren; Dillon Kohman, Anthony Kohman, and Silas Lain; and great, great grandson, Titus Kohman.
She will be greatly missed by everyone who knew and loved her.
