Ruth Bernice Wells, 84, of Buhl, died Monday, Dec. 23, 1996 at the Magic Valley Regional Medical Center of a sudden illness.

Ruth was born April 26, 1912 at Farnam, Neb., the daughter of Reuben and Maggie Moats Hoy. She graduated from Orafina High School in 1929 and attended Peru Normal and Kearney Normal in Nebraska before graduating from Idaho State College in Pocatello.

She taught school for several years in Nebraska in a one-room school, teaching all eight grades. In those days, the teacher was also the janitor — which included keeping the pot-bellied stove in the center of the room fed from the coal shed.

She married George Stubbelfield and moved to the Lucerne area and then to the north side, where they farmed. They later divorced.

Ruth taught school for many years in the Buhl area. She served as principal and taught grades six through eight at Deep Creek School until the district consolidated with the Buhl School District. She continued teaching sixth grade at Buhl until retiring in 1969.

She married Walter E. Wells in 1962 and they operated the Wells Livestock Co. at Castleford.

She is survived by her husband, Walter, of Buhl; a daughter, Donna (Don) Suchan of Paul; five step-children, George and Jim Wells of Castleford, Edith Walls of Buhl, Louis Wells of Pocatello, and Charles Wells of Santa Barbara, Calif.; four grandchildren: 10 step-grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; 10 step-great-grandchildren; a brother, Harold Hoy of Texas; a brother-in-law, Orville Smallfoot of California; a sister, Mable Soneson of California; a sister-in-law, Leila Hoy of Colorado; and 6 nieces.

She was preceded in death by a brother, a sister, and two step-grandchildren. The funeral will be held Saturday, Dec. 28 at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Buhl. Burial will follow at the West End cemetery.

Friends may call at the Farmer Funeral Chapel Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and until noon on Saturday. Memorials are suggested to the First Baptist Church.

Times News, Twin Falls, Thursday, December 26, 1996 B-2