Jacob Wells

Jacob Wells of Little Rock, 45, died Friday, November 7, at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, six days after experiencing a cardiac arrest at the Midsouth Marathon in Wynne, Arkansas. Born as John Jacob Wells in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Ron and Bertie Wells on July 8, 1969, Jacob was the valedictorian of his graduating class at Mount Judea (Arkansas) High School and was the top graduating senior in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas in 1991. He was a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Arkansas Society of Certified Public Accountants. Jacob was a Senior Audit Manager at JPMS Cox, PLLC. He had 23 years of public accounting experience, joining JPMS Cox in 1998 after seven years with Ernst & Young, LLP. Jacob had significant experience in the nonprofit and governmental industries, and served on the board of directors of Our House Shelter and on the finance committee of the board of directors of the Central Arkansas Area Agency on Aging, Inc. Jacob previously served six years on the founding board of directors of Arkansas Nonprofit Alliance, the state's association of nonprofits, and has held a board position with Nonprofit Resources, Inc., where he was Treasurer and Chairman of the Finance Committee. Jacob instructed numerous nonprofit accounting seminars sponsored by Arkansas Coalition for Excellence, Arkansas Community Foundation, Nonprofit Resources, Inc., and Arkansas Society of Certified Public Accountants. Jacob was recently awarded the 2014 Public Service Award by the Arkansas Society of CPAs. Jacob was an avid runner, having proudly logged 20,000 miles on foot, and running over 150 marathons. He also had a passion for volunteering in general, but especially at running events, encouraging runners of all paces to perform beyond their dreams. He particularly enjoyed helping disabled runners experience the joy. He had directed multiple races, but was most proud of his 3 Bridges Marathon that had its inaugural run in 2013. He was a member of the Melonvine Striders and the Little Rock Roadrunners. He had just been selected Volunteer of the Year and Race Director of the Year for 2014 by the Arkansas Road Runners Club of America. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents Fay and Edith Mueller and his paternal grandfather Chester Wells. He is survived by his parents of Mount Judea; paternal grandmother, Doris Wells of Pittsburg, Kan.; sister, Heidi (David) Stambuck of Farmington, Ark.; daughter Madalaine (Alex) Hughes of Bryant, Ark.; son, Gabriel Wells and daughter Josephine Wells of Traskwood (AR); along with granddaughter Ryleigh Hughes and nephews, Zachary and Nicholas Stambuck. He also leaves his sweetheart and soulmate, Jaynie Smith Cannon of Little Rock, along with a host of aunts, uncles, and cousins. A Celebration of Life will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, November 16th at the Two Rivers Park peninsula, 6900 Two Rivers Park Road, Little Rock, Ark. An optional 3 mile or 1 mile run/walk will close the service, with a reception following at the JPMS Cox offices at the address listed below for memorials. Memorial donations will be used to improve facilities at the Little Rock base of the Two River's Bridge in Little Rock's River Mountain Park, Jacob's favorite place to start a run, and may be mailed to JPMS Cox, PLLC – Jacob Wells Memorial, 11300 Cantrell Road, Suite 301, Little Rock, Ark. 72212 or made online at http://www.youcaring.com/JacobWells. Online register: www.ralphrobinsonandson.com.