Richard Bell

Richard Bell, age 79, of Naples, Florida, passed away unexpectedly on May 29, 2018 in Naples, Florida, after a short illness. He was born in St. Joseph, MI on August 3, 1938. A 1956 graduate of St. Joseph High School, he then attended Michigan State University where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in business in 1960.

Upon graduation from MSU, he entered the insurance business, working at Larry Bell Agency, which had been started by his father. Through the years he helped transition the firm into the Bell-Molhoek Agency, and finally into what is now Insurance Management Service, where he served as president.

An active member of the insurance profession, he served two terms as president of the Independent Agents of the Twin Cities. He served on the board and then as president of the S. W. Michigan Association of Life Underwriters. He also served on the board of directors of what was then the Independent Agents of Michigan, where he was a driving force on many committees. He became president of that organization, which is now known as the Michigan Association of Insurance Agents.

His long history of civic and community interests began in 1962, when he was a member of the Jaycees. In 1964, Dick began serving three years as treasurer of the former Pier School District Board, which is now part of the Coloma School system. He served as president of the St. Joseph-Benton Harbor Rotary Club, and also as a trustee of the Rotary Foundation. He was a Paul Harris Fellow. Dick was a longtime member and chairman of the City of St. Joseph Recreational Harbor Authority. He grew up on the shore of Lake Michigan, and boating, sailing, and fishing were beloved parts of Dick’s life. He served on the board of directors of the St. Joseph River Yacht Club for 14 years, during which time he served two terms as Commodore. He was an innovator and original co-chairman of events called “Riverama” that developed into the Venetian Festival. Other contributions to the community he loved included serving on the board of directors of the Krasl Art Center and on the board of the St. Joseph Improvement Association. He served two different terms on the Saron Lutheran Church Council. An active golfer, he was a member of Berrien Hills Country Club until he and his wife, Rosemary, made a permanent move to Naples FL.

Not content to sit idly by and watch others do the work, he served on the Board of Directors of Beacon House Condominium in Naples, serving several terms as president. He was a member of Naples Grande Golf Club, where he enjoyed many friendships in his golf groups. He also enjoyed boating and fishing in Florida, and had loved having his boat docked just feet from his door. He was a member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Naples. Among his other many interests were model trains, and some favorite memories were of train travels across many areas of Europe. He was very interested in WW2 history and had read extensively on the subject. He was a very enthusiastic supporter of Michigan State University football and basketball. High on his “favorites” list were his walks through old St. Joe and old Naples and along the beaches of Lake Michigan and the Gulf of Mexico. He loved music of all kinds. Recently he and Rosemary had moved to Bentley Village, which added yet another happy dimension to his life.

In addition to his wife, Rosemary, he is survived by two daughters: Cindy Bell, of La Crescenta CA, and Susie (Tim) Duncan of Bloomington MN; four granddaughters: Christy Duncan, Maggie Duncan, and Katie Duncan, all of Bloomington MN, and Emma Pecqueur-Bell, of La Crescenta CA; and his sister, Louise Bell Howard, of Naples FL.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Tuesday, August 14 in St. Joseph MI at Saron Lutheran Church, with details to be announced later. On Saturday, October 6 a memorial service will be held at Bentley Village in the Palmetto room, Naples FL, for which arrangements are still being made. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Habitat for Humanity of Collier County, 11145 Tamiami Trail E., Naples, FL 34113, (www.habitatcollier.org), or St. Joseph Public Schools Foundation, 3275 Lincoln Ave, St. Joseph, MI, 49085, (www.sjpsfoundation.org).

It’s been a wonderful trip! Go Green!