John Curtis Bell

John C. Bell passed away on Sept. 22, 2014 at age 88. Jabe, as he was known to family and friends, was a long-time resident of Scarsdale, NY, where he lived with his wife of 64 years, Mary, from 1952 to the present.

Born in Des Moines, Iowa on July 16, 1926, Jabe graduated with a degree in electrical engineering from Iowa State University, class of 1949. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and went on to earn his MBA after the war from Harvard Business School. He worked as an executive with several large New York-based corporations in the packaged goods and financial services industries.

Jabe’s greatest joy was his family. He was famous for dinner table interrogations which brought out the best in everyone. He was adored by his family, who marveled at his love of life, his amazing memory and his entertaining quirks. He was an accomplished pianist, and enthusiast for many types of music. He sailed, skied, hiked, and travelled abroad. John was a member of the Fox Meadow Tennis Club, Scarsdale, NY, and enjoyed playing tennis and platform tennis into his late ‘80s.

In addition to his wife, Jabe is survived by his three children: John J. Bell, MD (Fawn H.), of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Sarah E. Bell (Gregg R. Trueman), of Larchmont, NY, and Charles H. Bell (Sue L.) of Washington D.C., and 6 grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at Scarsdale Congregational Church, on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Hoff-Barthelson Music School, Scarsdale, NY.