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Lillie Wells, 66, Philly papers' executive production assistant

She was a leader in the Coalition of 100 Black Women.

Lillie Wells
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LILLIE WELLS was known for her polish and grace, and one of her goals in life was to help young women of color attain the same qualities.

Lillie dedicated a large portion of her life to helping others, and one of the many roles she assumed was to mentor young African-American women with the aim of showing them how to thrive in both the social world and the marketplace.

"She would expose them to art and culture, the social graces, etiquette and other qualities they would need to succeed in the professional world," her family said.

And Lillie herself embodied these qualities - in her community work and as a 40-year employee of the Daily News and Inquirer, becoming a vital link in the production department.

"Co-workers have told us that Lillie was the glue that held the department together," her family said.

Lillie Wells, a senior executive assistant to a succession of vice presidents in the newspapers' production department, former president of the South Jersey Chapter of the Coalition of 100 Black Women, an AIDS activist and a devoted mother and grandmother, died Tuesday after a brief battle with cancer. She was 66 and lived in Deptford, N.J.

"She was very polished, very regal, but also very approachable, very humble and down-to-earth," her family said.

Lillie's beauty and charm were recognized as early as high school, when she became prom queen of Woodrow Wilson High in Camden in her senior year in 1967.

Richard Danze, vice president of production for the Daily News and Inquirer from 2004 to 2007, said Lillie was always available when needed.

"She supported me," he said. "They didn't come any better. She was integral to the operation, well-liked and respected.

"She was one of those sensitive people who never forgot a birthday or anniversary. She was a working partner, always there when I needed her."

"She was loved by all who worked with her and knew her," said longtime friend and colleague Alberta Copper, of the accounts-receivable department. "She always had a ready smile and infectious laugh."

Lillie left the company when she took a buyout two years ago.

She was born in Savannah, Ga., the fifth of the seven children of Lillie and Henry Nelson. The family moved to Camden when she was in elementary school. After graduating from Woodrow Wilson High, she took business courses at Camden County College and Rutgers University.

Lillie worked for a time for the old Evening Bulletin before joining the Daily News and Inquirer. She was assigned first to the advertising department before transferring to production, working from the Schuylkill Printing Plant outside Conshohocken.

Over the years, Lillie also was involved in diversity training for the company and conducted tours of the printing plant.

Lillie became interested in the goals of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women in 1999, when she helped organize the South Jersey Chapter. She served as executive vice president and president, and was president emeritus at her death.

She became a mentor to young women through the organization, and also did counseling on her own.

"People sought her out," her family said. "She attracted a lot of people. Very much of her life's work was helping people."

With the AIDS Coalition of Southern New Jersey, Lillie worked in fundraising and helping to spread the word about HIV/AIDS to gain support for its programs.

She was an avid collector of fine art and china.

Lillie married Mark Wilson in 1970. The marriage ended in 2006, and she married Nero Wells.

"Lillie's spirit was infectious," her family said. "Her smile was contagious and she touched every person she met. She lived life to the fullest up until her last breath."

Besides her husband, she is survived by a daughter, Tracy Jowers; twins Marlo and Margo Wilson; two brothers, Jasper and James Williams; two sisters, Julie Brown and Violet Wall; and two grandchildren.

She also is survived by Katrina Millscape, whom she regarded as a daughter.

Services: 10 a.m. March 7 at First Baptist Church of Jericho, Deptford, N.J. Friends may call at 8 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Precious Lillie Scholarship, gofundme.com/n7dkaw.