Former Murray Mayor Bill Wells died Saturday from a rare brain disease.
Mayor Jack Rose said Wells died of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, according to WPSD-TV.
Wells took office on Jan. 1, 2011, but he was defeated by Rose in 2014. During his time as mayor, Murray was named the Friendliest Small Town in America by Rand McNally and USA TODAY. He also oversaw Murray’s transition from a dry city to a wet city.
Before becoming mayor, Wells served for 20 years on the Murray City Council, was principal of Murray High School and was president of the Murray Rotary Club.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease “affects about one person in every one million people per year worldwide; in the United States there are about 300 cases per year.”
Funeral arrangements are not available at this time. The News will update this story when more information becomes available.