Warren Wells, 75, of Deerfield, a biochemistry professor at Northwestern University for more than 30 years, died Tuesday, May 14, in Glenbrook Hospital of pulmonary fibrosis. Mr. Wells, known as “Scotty,” was born in Minnesota and grew up in Iowa. During World War II, he served as a sergeant in the Army Air Forces and was stationed in Hawaii. Mr. Wells married his wife, Rosemary, in 1950, the same year he earned a bachelor’s degree in science education from Iowa State Teacher’s College, now the University of Northern Iowa. He went on to earn a master’s degree there in 1955 and a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Illinois in 1959. He joined the faculty at Northwestern, teaching molecular biology and chemistry at the Medical School before spending the bulk of his career teaching biochemistry at the now-defunct Dental School. He retired in 1991. Mr. Wells also handled financial aid in the office of student affairs. Before school began each year, Mr. Wells would examine the roster of his students, learning about 150 names so that he could call each person by name on the first day of class. “He didn’t want them to feel just like a number,” said his daughter, Wendy Mineau. “He always greeted you like you were the most special person, no matter who you were.” Mr. Wells also belonged to Omicron Kappa Upsilon, a national honorary dental society. A strong tenor, Mr. Wells was a church soloist and an actor in many North Shore theater groups. Along with his wife, he had performed in four to five musicals a year for more than 35 years. The couple lived in Winnetka for 22 years before moving to Deerfield 14 years ago. Mr. Wells also is survived by two sons, Jeffrey and Jerrold; and six grandchildren. His wife died in 2000. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday in First Presbyterian Church of Deerfield, 824 Waukegan Rd.
