Funeral services for Mr. William Edward Bell, age 93, of Manchester, will be conducted at 11:00 AM on Saturday, July 26, 2014 at Manchester Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Ronnie Smith officiating.
Burial will follow at 3pm Saturday at the Greenwood Cemetery in Clarksville, TN.
Visitation with the family will be from 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM on Friday at the funeral home and on Saturday prior to the service.
Mr. Bell passed away peacefully Tuesday morning at his residence.
Mr. Bell was born in Danville, TN, the son of the late K.I. and Eura Martin Bell.
Bill proudly served our country in the United States Navy at the height of World War II in the Pacific Theatre. He shared his experiences freely with the family in a manner which fully made us all proud to be an American and truly cherish the blessing of freedom. He was attending Brown University when he knew in his heart he had to serve his country. A man of so very many interests and an incredible zest for every moment of his life, Bill’s work brought him finally to Manchester, Tennessee. He and a handful of wonderful people established the very first Little League program in Manchester. He loved children and the community. He enjoyed a 30 year career at Arnold Engineering as a machinist. A brilliant mind kept him active every minute of the day. He lived for Christ and lived each day as if it were his last. His primary interest for many years until his health failed was his involvement in HAM Radio operations, an organization of HAM radio operators which reached globally. He organized their first convention which to date is an annual event. While most think HAM Radio operation is a hobby, it was developed not only for social networking, but played a key roll in disaster assistance worldwide in conjunction with the military, Red Cross and providing communication for soldiers and families to communicate with soldiers abroad. Bill was an avid golfer and enjoyed woodworking. He was creative, artistic and read endlessly.
In addition to his parents, Bill was preceded in death by his first wife, Amanda Richardson Bell, three brothers, Ira, Walter and Richard Bell and one sister, Margaret Beasley.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Jimmie Smith Bell of Manchester; one son, Kenneth Thomas (Melissa) Bell of Bon Aqua, TN; two daughters, Martha Ann Bell and Katherine Lee Bell, both of Atlanta, GA; one step daughter, Brenda Fugitt (Pat) Winningham of Murfreesboro, TN; one brother, Michael Bell of Stewart, TN; 7 grandchildren, Patrick (Laura) Fox of Texas; Elle (David) Shroyer of Oklahoma; Allie Bell of Nashville, TN, Amanda (Brian) McGeshick of Clarksville, TN; Amy Sartin (Greg) Coady of Murfreesboro, TN; Patrick (Annie) Winningham of Franklin, TN and Laurie (Andy Gardiner of North Carolina; 9 great grandchildren, Aiden Fox, Aurora Fox and Samantha Turner; Hannah and Jake McGeshick, Amberly Shroyer, Madeline Coady, Gavin and Abigail Gardiner.
Bill, you are loved and missed but rejoiced knowing heaven holds you as do our hearts forever.
IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, THE FAMILY ASKS THAT DONATIONS BE MADE TO ST. JUDE’S CHILDRENS HOSPITAL, THE FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IN MANCHESTER OR THE CHARITY OF THER GIVER’S CHOICE
Manchester Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.