Gregory (Young) Wells, 61

Gregory Allen (Young) Wells, 61, died Oct. 18, 2023. He was born on Feb. 12, 1962, in Salina, Kansas, to Joy K. (McKenzie) Young and Dwight Young. He was a beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend whose warmth and quiet sense of humor touched the lives of many.

Gregory spent his early years in Kansas before moving with his family to various locations as part of a military family. He grew up surrounded by love and developed a strong bond with his siblings and extended family.

Known for his big heart and easygoing nature, Gregory enjoyed life’s simple pleasures and had a special way of making people feel welcome. He loved spending time with his family, especially his brother Eddie, with whom he shared a lifelong bond.

Greg graduated from Coldwater High School in Kansas in 1980. Shortly after graduation, he joined the U.S. Army. He later moved to Highland, Maryland, where he became a gifted architect, designing remarkable buildings in Washington, D.C.

In 1985, Greg survived a serious motorcycle accident that resulted in the loss of his leg. Despite this, he never let it hold him back. He continued skiing, jumping off bridges, floating the rivers of the Ozarks, and building decks for his family. He lived life to the fullest, driven by passion and resilience.

He continued his architectural career in Texas, Pennsylvania and Nevada, where he met and married his wife, Lee Anne, in 2005. After suffering a traumatic fall at work in 2009, he and Lee Anne moved to the Ozarks to be closer to family. They lived on the family farm in Brixey - a property that had been in his grandmother Young’s family for generations. When he was no longer able to care for the farm, Greg moved to West Plains.

Greg had many interests and hobbies. He enjoyed fishing, boating, growing sunflowers, and most of all, caring for his Royal Poodles, whom he and his wife raised with great love. They were like children to him, as he had none of his own.

Gregory is survived by his wife, Lee Anne; his siblings: Stephen R. Young of Texas, Eddie Young of West Plains and Patricia (Young) Smith of Caulfield; his nieces and nephews: Gregory Osenbaugh (Serena), Amanda Garcia (Jaime), Cameron Smith (Cassidi), and Makenzie Smith (Austin Row); and his great-nieces and nephews: Chloe, Jayden, Claire, Emma, Daniel, Rose, Kinsley, Tallon, and Huxley. He is also survived by his loving aunt Susie Burd and uncle Rudy Burd, as well as uncles Harvey, Kenneth, and Harrison Young, and his aunt Trudy Vandenburg. He leaves behind many cousins and extended family members.

Greg’s brother Randy died in March 2024, and his mother, Kathy, on May 28, 2025. Two uncles also passed in May 2024.

He was preceded in death by his father, Dwight Young; his mother, Joy Kathleen Young; his sister, Kathleen Osenbough; his brother, Randall E. Young; his grandparents, Imo and Gordon Young and Georgia and Leonard McKenzie; his aunts: Imogene Dykeman and Irean Young; and cousins: Cheryl and Jeanette.

A celebration of life to honor Gregory will be held at Smith Chapel in Zanoni, following the services for his mother and brother Randy on July 5. Family and friends are invited to join in remembering his life and legacy.

Gregory’s kindness and loving spirit will be deeply missed but fondly remembered by all who were blessed to know him.