Our beloved mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend Gladys Faye Cowan Wells passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family and friends on September 19, 2022, at 8:42 p.m.
Gladys was born to Charlie G. Cowan and Reba Cowan Stewart on March 14, 1948, in Dragerton, Utah. She met the love of her life and married Dennis Wells in Moab on June 3, 1963, and had three sons (Dennis Jr., Donny, and Darrin) who were her pride and joy.
Dennis and Gladys moved to Colorado and Arizona chasing uranium mining until 1973, when they moved their family back to Moab. Gladys worked as a janitor at Helen M. Knight Elementary School for 16 years, while taking care of and raising her family before moving to Eureka, Nevada. There, she worked for Atlas Gold Mine until 1995. Gladys and Dennis then moved to Woodland Park, Colorado, where she worked for AngloGold until 2013, when she retired and returned to Moab.
There was nothing more important to Gladys than her family. She never missed a practice or a game of her sons as they grew up, and she later loved watching her grandkids play sports. Gladys was very athletic herself and played softball, volleyball and even powder-puff football.
A woman of faith and a hard worker like her mother Reba, Gladys was dedicated to keeping family and friends together and informed. She adored her grandchildren and, through them, discovered a passion for photography. She blessed many lives with photos and videos that captured, documented, and celebrated everyone she knew.
Gladys is survived by her loving husband, Dennis Wells; her sons, Dennis (Kammy) Wells of Moab, Donny (Molly) Wells of Woodland Park, Colorado, and Darrin (Gail) Wells of Moab; her brothers, Redd (Candace) Stewart of Las Vegas, Nevada, Doug (Vicki) Stewart of St. George, Utah, Jack (Linda) Stewart, of Winnemucca, Nevada, Jim Cowan of Moab, Jeff (Elana) Cowan of Paonia, Colorado, Jerry (Elaine) Stewart of Cheyenne, Wyoming, Jerry (Happy) Cowan of Moab, and Ernie (Betsie) Jensen of Grand Junction, Colorado; her sisters, Elizabeth (Mike) Hayes of Clinton Utah, Donna (Joe) Day of Vancouver, Washington, Joann Stewart Ansel of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and her 10 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren as well as her lifelong friends, Alex and Terry Leech.
Gladys was preceded in death by her parents, Charlie G. Cowan and Reba Cowan Stewart; her stepfather, Jesse C. Stewart; her granddaughter, Kensey Wells; her brothers, David (Pat) Stewart of Moab, John Douglas Cowan of Moab, Steve (Marilyn) Stewart of Moab; and her sister, Elva Rae Stewart Bennett (Guy) of St. George, Utah.
At Gladys’s request, cremation has taken place and there will be no service at this time. You may send condolences to the family at www.spanishvalleymortuary.com.
