Mary Sue (Copeland) Wells

Mary Sue was the daughter of Byron and Mary Skiles Copeland. She was born in Shannon, Texas, on October 1, 1932. Mary Sue grew up on a farm between Shannon and Antelope. She attended school in both Shannon and Antelope, graduating from Antelope High School. Mary Sue worked in several banks in Fort Worth, then attended the University of Texas at Arlington, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. When she applied for a job in FWISD, she was told that if she got twelve hours of Special Education, she would be guaranteed a teaching position that year. Mary Sue attended Texas Woman’s University in Denton, where she received a Master of Education degree. She taught school in Fort Worth until her retirement. Mary Sue married Johnnie Wells on March 14, 1953. They were married for seventy-plus years. Together, they raised two sons, Johnnie Kenneth and Paul David. Mary Sue and Johnnie made their home in Fort Worth for fifty-four years. In 2008, they built a new house on the Copeland homeplace and moved to Clay County. She particularly liked the peace and quiet of the country and the friendly people in the area. She served as secretary for the Antelope Ex-Students Association and on the program committee for the Shannon Cemetery Association until her health began to fail. Mary Sue’s hobbies were reading, writing, and oil painting. She and several friends compiled “A History of Shannon” about the small town where she grew up. Mary Sue also wrote a novel, a book of poems, and, most recently, the life story of their son, Paul David, who passed away in October of 2022. Mary Sue loved to do oil paintings. She had a studio near her home where she spent many happy hours painting with her 3 dogs keeping her company. Mary Sue was a lifelong member of the Methodist Church and a current member of the Antelope Methodist Church, where the Copeland and Wells families have attended for many years. She loved the church where she and Johnnie were married. Mary Sue was predeceased by her parents, her son Paul, two brothers Joe and Gene, her beloved sister Sarah, and her husband Grant. She is survived by her husband, son Johnnie Kenneth, daughter-in-law Claudene, sisters-in-law Earline Wright and Betty Thornton, and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Mary Sue (Copeland) Wells

October 1, 1932 - November 9, 2025