Norman Leonard Wells - Online Memorial Website

I had to have emergency surgery a couple of days after Jonathan was born.  Jon was in Northern California.  Dad took one look at me that morning and drove me to the hospital in Loma Linda.  He took care of Jonathan, my newborn son and my girls, my mom was still in the hospital.  They discharged her a couple of days after I was admitted.  The doctor was kind of a jerk.  My mom's cancer surgeon, he wasn't my doctor, Dr. King, checked in on me and left the room in a hurry, the next thing I knew my doctor, Dr. Pham came in very upset, started saying that I was going to surgery, he was angry, I didn't know why or what was going on.  I was scared.  He left the room and I called my dad, who was 40 miles away.  The doctor came back in the room, about 20 minutes later, he was yelling at me, actually yelling at me in the hospital that I must want surgery since I wasn't getting any better, that maybe I just needed to decide to get well, that I just wanted him to get into trouble.  My dad, who had broken every speed law in the world to get to me came around the corner, heard and saw what was happening.  He grabbed that doctor by his shirt collar and shook him like a rag doll, told him NEVER to speak to his daughter like that again and to get the hell out of my room.  The doctor bowed and ran out of the room.  Dr. King came in and explained that he thought I had a life threatening infection that his own grandmother had died of that used to be called child birth fever. He wanted to do an emergency surgery himself.  I guess that's why the other doctor was upset, Dr. King had taken over and virtually fired him from my case.  I was young, I had no clue what was happening.  They wheeled me down a long corrider, and my dad wouldn't leave my side until we reached the surgery room doors, he held my hand the whole way.  When I got ready to go in, he hugged me, told me he loved me.  We didn't know if I would make it, I looked him in the eyes and said, take care of my babies, if I don't make it dad.  I knew Jon would need all the help he could get with 3 kids.  He had tears rolling down his cheeks, and he said, I will baby girl.  Dr. King saved my life, I had a severly impacted tube that almost burst.  It would have killed me if it hadn't been caught in time.  I was in the hospital for quite a few more days recovering, trying to get the last bit of infection taken care of.  My mom was in and out of that hospital for years.  Every time Dr. Pham, my original doctor, saw my dad he woud shake his hand and bow (he was Asian).

It was my 15th birthday and I was mad, I wanted to spend it with my boyfriend, not with my mom and dad.  I sulked most of the day.  My dad took me out to get my birthday gift and I tried to not be unhappy, but I'm sure it showed.  He bought me my own saddle, some western wear clothing and boots.  That night when we went to go to dinner for my birthday, there was my boyfriend.  My dad had set it all up as a big surprise for my birthday.  Even though I was sulky, he never let on, he just thought it was funny knowing what he knew.I was so happy, it was one of the best days of my life because my dad spent it with me.
 

I have a coule favorite memories of Big Pop. When Lisa and I were little we used to get to spend a couple weeks in the summer with Big Pop and Grandma. Big Pop used to give us rides in the tractor bucket around the arena. He also had a "hotwalk" for the horses that he made swings for. He'd hang the swings on it and let us use it as our very own merry-go-round. He also used to clean out a horse trough, fill it with water and let us splash around in it like our own little pool. As an adult I remember when my son was born, he and Grandma Trudy drove up from Southern California to Northern California to see my new family as soon as they heard the baby was on the way. I had no idea they were coming up until they came in my room. I was sooo suprised.

I went to dinner with my mom and dad when he was in his 40's.  He was dressed in a suit and tie.  The waitress started to hand him a menu, with a straight face, using a very serious tone of voice, he said "No thank you, I can't read".  The waitress stood dumbfounded and didn't have a clue what to say.  Dad then said "I'll take it though, I like to look at the pretty pictures".  She looked so shocked, we all laughed until we cried.  My dad had a wonderful dry humor that would sneak up on you and take you by surprise.

 

He taught me morals and ethics. He pushed me to my limits and beyond and he taught me that my strength would have no limits at all if I just trusted in God.

 

He helped me to raise my girls and he took care of Jonathan for the first couple of weeks of his life.  He knick named all the kids.  And those names came from his heart.  Tugger, P-Dee, Peanut.

 

I don't know what else to say, he was my dad and I loved him with all my heart, no matter what.  I always will.

 

 

When I was younger we were all with Big Pop at the Lakeview house. He showed me that you can snap a mouse trap on the palm of your hand and it doesn't hurt. With this knowledge I thought I would try but didn't use my hand, instead I used my toe! That was one of the times that I have seen Big Pop laugh so hard he almost cried!