Rev. Nova Lauraine (Moody) Wells 1934 - 2016

MOODY, WELLS, NIMZ

Posted By: Connie Swearingen- Volunteer (email)
Date: 10/27/2016 at 12:26:24

Sioux City Journal
14 August 2016

SIOUX CITY | Rev. Nova Lauraine (Moody) Wells of Arlington, Texas, formerly of Sioux City, ascended Sunday afternoon Aug. 7, 2016.

A Celebration of Life service was held Aug. 13 at St. Stephen United Methodist Church in Arlington.

She was born in Ransom Kan., on June 27, 1934, the only child of Mr. Nova Grant and Emma (Nimz) Moody. She attended Colorado Women's College in Denver on scholarship and Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kan., where she met the love her life, Carl E Wells. They were married on May 29, 1957. From this union she bore two children, Ken, (married to Mary and living in Sioux City) and Laurie (married to Sal Valdivia and living in Loveland, Colo.).

She always considered herself a writer first and an artist second, music being further down on the list. It was her position as editor of the Fort Hays' The Leader, that allowed her to both offset her college expenses and raise controversial issues, which she valued over being an accompanist. She also wrote a history of the college predicting its current status as a university much to the chagrin of then president. Nova taught at elementary schools in Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa through the 1960s. Later she apprenticed as a luthier to make and repair violins and stringed instruments. Serving as a church secretary sparked her desire to start seminary in 1983. She graduated with a master's of divinity from St. Paul Seminary in Kansas City, Kan. at age 51. She was ordained an elder in the Iowa Conference United Methodist Church and served parishes in Northboro, Blanchard, Pierson, Meadow Star, Earlham, Worthington, and Penn Center.

Upon retirement, she moved to Arlington and enjoyed a rich life there with fishing, art classes, attending the symphony, the public gardens, and was a life member of the Arlington Gem and Mineral Society. At last she could again focus on her writing. Her lapidary and silver smithing art was featured in many articles published nationally. Her biblical-inspired fiction works include Deborah, Shaping a Nation; Phoenicia; and The Lord's Patroness. She and Carl worked diligently in their early married life to save the art work of Ancient Native peoples, documenting cliff carvings now submerged beneath Wilson Reservoir 40 miles west of Salina, Kan. Their book is titled Petroglyphs of the Saline River Valley and the collected works are archived at Forsyth Library at FHSU.

Even while recovering from her stroke, she sought ways to share her love of Christ and witness where God was in her life each day.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to either St. Stephen or United Methodist Committee On Relief (UMCOR.org).