Cecil Wells leaves behind a life of service

Story By Hunter Jones

On Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, Cecil Wells died at the age of 80. Wells lived a life of serving others, spending over 55 years working with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office as the Reserve Captain, a volunteer position. In addition to his volunteer work with the sheriff’s office, he served as a member of the Scottsboro Tree Commission, planting countless flowers and trees across Jackson County.

“He was very active, would do anything you wanted or needed him to do, volunteered to do stuff all the time,” Jackson County Sheriff Rocky Harnen said.

Wells worked for over 36 years on the Scottsboro Electric Power Board, continuing his volunteer work after retiring. Wells later took a position for the inmate work crew, where he would take inmates out to do work around the county, including cleaning roads, painting and refurbishing public buildings and setting up Christmas decorations. During the most recent State of the County, Wells was recognized for his work, being recognized as the Volunteer of the Year by the Jackson County Commission as well as being awarded the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year by the American Legion earlier this year.

“Most of the stuff that he did (for the sheriff’s office) was with inmates, taking them out as an inmate worker and supervising them to do the work,” Harnen said.

Wells was known by many of the inmates simply as “PawPaw”, known for being kind to the inmates while still getting on those who would do wrong.

 “(Wells) loved every one of them and (the trustees) would literally fight for him if they needed to,” Harnen said. “They thought the world of him as we all did.”

Wells had one inmate try to run on him in his time, with the inmates offering to help chase the guy down before Wells told them that they would get him later. In a previous interview, Wells stated that he wished to make a difference in the inmates’ lives and that he felt lucky in this role.

The night before he passed away, the trustees gathered together and held a prayer circle for Wells, praying that he would not be in pain anymore. When he passed, Harnen made the jail his first stop, going to give the inmates the news, consoling them by saying that their prayers were answered.

“There were a lot of tears,” Harnen said. “They were all very emotional.”

Harnen would have liked allowing the inmates to attend Wells’ funeral but could not put them around the general public in that manner. Instead, he asked the family if they could pass by the jail during the procession. The family agreed, so as the procession passed by, members of the jail staff alongside the inmates stood by the road, watching as they passed.

When they passed by the jail, they were driving on Cecil Wells Drive, a strip of road renamed earlier this month. At the unveiling, many city, county and some state leaders attended to congratulate Wells on this occasion and to thank him for all he has done for the county.

“He has done more for the City of Scottsboro and Jackson County than any single person I can think of,” City of Scottsboro Mayor Jim McCamy said.

Near the end of his life, Wells rarely complained of any pain he may have felt and remained adamant that he would help Harnen install some radios in some of the cars. Harnen would not allow anyone else to work on that car until after Wells passed. Wells also had a car from the county to work on the radio towers. When his family asked when they wanted the car back, Harnen told them to keep it until Wells passed.

“He looks out in that driveway (at the car) and sees that he is still part of us,” Harnen said.

In his obituary, it reads that Wells “continued to sprinkle his good in everything he touched or did” in a “world with so much bad.” For that reason, while others may take after him and carry the torch he held, he can never be replaced.

 “He will not be forgotten and he will never be replaced. He is a once in a lifetime person. We can put people in his spot but we will never replace him,” Harnen said.