Alvin Bryce Wells Jr.

Alvin Bryce Wells, Jr., peacefully passed away at home in Brandon in the early morning hours of May 22, 2026. Visitation will be held on Tues. May 26, 2026 from 10am-11am at Ott & Lee Funeral Home in Brandon, MS. Funeral Services are 11am on Tues. May 26, 2026 at the Ott & Lee Funeral Home Chapel in Brandon, MS.

Al was born on March 28, 1940, to Alvin Bryce Wells, Sr., and Ernestine Love Wells of Jackson. Al enjoyed an idyllic childhood with a loving family, lots of neighborhood friends (many of whom were lifelong friends), and fun adventures as a Boy Scout. Al served Assistant Scoutmaster and Scoutmaster at Alta Woods Methodist Church in the 1960s and 1970s and remained active in the Scouts for most of his adulthood.

Al graduated from Provine High School in 1958 and enrolled at Mississippi State University, where he was assigned to Old Main Dormitory. Al was a survivor of the 1959 fire that destroyed Old Main and enjoyed sharing tales of mischief at Old Main. Al was True Maroon, and you would rarely find him wearing anything other than clothing with a State emblem. He was incredibly proud that his daughters and their husbands were all State alumni. He may have been temporarily annoyed that his grandchildren politely eschewed the Bulldog tradition for The University of Utah and Tulane University, respectively, but he learned to cheer on the Utes and the Green Wave.

Upon graduating from State with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1962, Al was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force, where he was an instructor stationed in Lubbock, Texas, and Greenville, Mississippi, and rose to the rank of First Lieutenant.

Al left the Air Force to put his degree to use in commercial insurance, a career he was devoted to for almost fifty years. He earned the distinction of CPCU, and at the height of his career he was a Senior Executive Underwriting Specialist. Al worked for Kemper, USF&G, and Zurich insurance agencies. When Al was hired by Kemper, he was sent to New Orleans for training. There, he met another trainee and the love of his life, Lydia Jo Daniel of Pisgah.

Al and Jo were married on September 17, 1966, in Pisgah. They lived in Jackson until they built their forever home in the country in Brandon in 1982. They were devoted members of Brandon First Methodist Church.

Al and Jo enjoyed traveling with their daughters to North Carolina yearly, and they traveled extensively after his retirement. Al is remembered as a loving husband, father, and grandfather. He also loved reading, watching movies, his four poodles, and his rare 1965 Corvette Stingray.

Al is preceded in death by his parents and his eldest daughter, Laura Ann Wells.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Jo Daniel Wells, of Brandon; daughters Tori (Keith) Liberto of Jackson and Claire (Michael) Hogue of Salt Lake City, Utah; grandchildren Emily Hogue of Salt Lake City and Sofia Liberto of Jackson; sister Teena (Chuck) Jepsen of Madison; and sisters-in-law Kay Baker of Pisgah and Beth (Jim) Betzing of Tupelo. Al is also survived by numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Brandon First Methodist Church at 205 Mary Ann Dr. Brandon, MS 39042.