Philanthropist. Humanitarian.
Altruist. All of these words describe
Llanfair resident Ed Wells, and his
gifts to Llanfair count him among our
most generous supporters.
Ed’s generosity, not only in terms of
his financial resources, but also his
spirit, energy and time, has touched the
lives of his fellow Llanfair residents,
exemplifying the mission of Llanfair and
OPRS.
Born in upstate New York, Ed attended
Cornell University on a merit-based
scholarship before serving in the United
States Navy. He and his wife Jean, whom
he met at Cornell, moved to the
Cincinnati area when Ed began working as
a development engineer for Procter &
Gamble. During his 40-year career with
the company, Ed was responsible for
developing several important patents,
including the original patent for
Bounty two-ply paper towels.
After retiring from P&G, Ed began to
think about where he and Jean would
spend their later years, and Llanfair
was at the top of their list. Sadly,
Jean passed away before they could make
Llanfair their home. Ed, however, was
able to move to Llanfair in 2005, and
has since embraced the culture and
mission of the community, seizing the
opportunity to enhance the lives of his
fellow residents.
Ed has donated several items to Llanfair
that allow residents to maintain their
health and vitality without ever having
to leave the campus. He generously gave
two NuStep exercise machines for the
fitness center, as well as a bladder
scanner and two PT/INR blood-testing
machines for use in the nursing center.
Ed has also given multiple gifts for
capital improvements at Llanfair, such
as landscaping and building
enhancements.
As part of The Mission, The Vision, The
Promise Capital Campaign, Ed donated the
lead naming gift for the proposed chapel
at Llanfair. Named in memory of his late
wife, The Margaret Jean Wells Chapel
will provide residents with an
appropriate atmosphere for prayer and
worship, helping them continue on their
spiritual journeys.
With his total charitable giving to
Llanfair approaching $2 million, Ed has
earned membership in each category of
the OPRS Foundation’s Donor Recognition
Program: President’s Club, Living Legacy
Society, Named Endowment Circle and
Trustees’ Roundtable.
But Ed’s generosity is not limited to
financial contributions. He also
represents his fellow residents as part
of the MVP Campaign Leadership Committee
at Llanfair, and serves on the Quality
of Life Committee of the College Hill
Forum, helping to revive the historic
neighborhood surrounding Llanfair.
Additionally, Ed will represent Llanfair
this fall when he attends the American
Association of Homes and Services for
the Aging (AAHSA) Annual Conference with
OPRS Foundation President Tom Hofmann to
participate in a conference panel.
Ed’s caring spirit and giving nature
have truly blessed Llanfair, and his
impact on the lives of his fellow
residents is priceless.
When asked about the motivation behind
his generosity, Ed simply replies, “I
just decide what needs are greatest and
give to them. You can’t take it with
you, so you might as well enjoy giving.”
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