Rita Diane White Wells

In Loving Memory of Rita Diane White Wells

April 16, 1954 – February 22, 2026

Rita Diane White Wells, of Centre, Alabama, passed away on Sunday, February 22, 2026, at the age of seventy-two. She was born in LaFayette, Georgia, on April 16, 1954, the cherished daughter of the late Jim Odum, Sr. and Helen Beatrice Knowles.

From those red clay beginnings, Diane grew into a woman whose laughter carried across rooms and whose love rooted deep and wide. She was a woman who never met a stranger, only kin she had not claimed yet. Family meant everything to her, and she did not love in small measures. Her children were the apple of her eye, and her grandchildren were the jewels in her crown, polished daily with pride and affection.

She is survived by her beloved husband, Johnny Wells; her kids, Terry and Michelle White, Scotty and Katie Little and Ciji and Terrance Dozier. She leaves behind a lively and much-loved tribe of grandchildren: T'Asia Dozier, Deuce Dozier, Lexie Wilbanks (Dakota), Kaitlyn Hewitt, Heather Spears (Tanner), Austin White, Joe White, Summer Meeks, Zach Meeks, Jake Ankerich, Jarod King, Jayden King, Anthony Wilson, Gabby Parish, and Zantavious Moore, along with many great-grandchildren whom she adored beyond measure.

She also leaves behind her brothers, Tim Odum, Tommy Odum and Jim Odum, and her sisters, Stephanie Mantooth and Karen Wells, who shared in the stories and seasons that shaped her life. Diane was preceded in death by her parents; her grandchild, Skylar Wilson; her brother, Tracy Odum; and her sister, Elaine Odum Barkley. No doubt they welcomed her home with open arms and familiar laughter.

Diane loved the Lord with a steady, unshakable faith. Her Bible was worn smooth from constant reading; she did not just speak of faith, she lived it, folded into everyday acts of kindness and fierce loyalty to those she loved. She had a tender heart for animals and a keen eye for a good yard sale, believing firmly that one person’s castoff might be another person’s treasure. And then there were her simple, sacred pleasures. Diane loved Coca-Cola with a devotion that bordered on testimony.

Diane's life was marked by humor, resilience, and a warmth that could soften even the hardest day. She gave freely of her time, her advice, and her kitchen table. If you sat long enough, you would hear a story, receive a lesson, and likely leave a little fuller than when you arrived.

A visitation will be held on Friday, February 27, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. at Good Shepherd Funeral Home, with a funeral service beginning at 12:00 p.m. Diane will be escorted to her final resting place by her pallbearers, Scotty Little, Terry White Jr. Dakota Wilbanks, Austin White, Joseph White, and Terrance Dozier, along with honorary pallbearer Anthony Wilson, men who carry not only her casket, but her legacy.

Good Shepherd Funeral Home is honored to have been entrusted with the arrangements.

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