Remembering Jimmy Wells
By Bonita Wilborn
Jimmy Wells grew up in Rainsville and attended Plainview High School, but he didn’t graduate there. Jimmy grew up at a time in history when attending school was not mandatory until the age of 16 as it is now. After seven years of school, he had all he wanted and went to work on the family farm, “plowing the ground.” He stated that all he ever knew was hard work.
Sometime later, Jimmy began working on cars. By that time, he had a car of his own and decided to trade it for another. So Wells took his ‘54 Chevrolet to the newly opened car sale in Fort Payne. He was there on the second week of the sale. He sold the car and made $235. He stated, “I thought I’d won the lottery.”
That’s where his career as a car salesman got its start.
After Jimmy and his wife, Rosemary, got married, they raised chickens. Jimmy said, “We got $75 to grow a bunch of chickens for 8-9 weeks. So when I got my $75, I got a ride to Fort Payne to the car sale. I bought me a car and said, ‘I’m gonna make me some money.’ I gave $65 for an old ‘46 model Chevrolet, and before I got home with it, it started knocking. So, I tore it down, took the oil pan off, took the rod off, and cut the tongue out of my boot. I wrapped it around that thing and put it back together, oiled it up, and it ran real good…for a few minutes. We pulled it back to the sale with a chain. I sold it for $62.50.”
With that sale, Jimmy only lost $2.50 and, of course, the tongue of his boot. Not bad for a car that he drove off the lot only one week before and then drug back with a chain. The fever was already in his blood. He knew that he wanted to buy and sell used cars.
At that particular time, Jimmy’s way of making a living was farming. But according to his account of the situation, every time he got a little money together, he would make his way back to the car sale. He would purchase a car, paint it if necessary, fix it up, and try to make a little money on it.
Jimmy’s life-long dream was to be able to make money. All through his lifetime, no matter what else he might be doing otherwise, Jimmy always had his work on a car to keep his free time occupied.
Jimmy admitted that not everything always turned out right, especially his years of insobriety, but he was proud to say that God saved his soul. “God took care of all of that,” Jimmy stated. “After that, I always tried to do right. I can’t thank him enough. We’ve been blessed in a mighty way.”
The transformation in Jimmy’s life after he was saved was visible to everyone who knew him. His work colleagues were impressed and inspired by the difference that was so very evident. One such colleague, a man that was given to the bottle himself, recalled, “Seeing the change that took place in Jimmy was what led me to the Lord.”
Jimmy Well’s love of buying and selling cars continued to be a life-long occupation, and he will be missed by those who worked with him, the citizens of Rainsville, as well as his friends and family. Jimmy Wells Used Cars has been a long time fixture in the City of Rainsville.
Jimmy Lee Wells passed away Tuesday, December 22, 2020, at the age of 77. Mr. Wells is survived by his wife of 60 years – Rosemary Wells. Son – Van (Terri) Wells. Daughters – Robin (Mike) Ashley and Angie (Phil) Bryan. Sister – Brenda Manning. 6 Grandchildren and 1 Great Grandchild.
He was preceded in death by his father – Charlie Wells. Mother – Eula Wells. Brother – Charles Wells. Sisters – Carolyn Edmondson, Dollie McAnelly, Dorothy Wallace, Nell Dornhecker, and Opal Chandler.