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BELL RAYMOND A.
RAYMOND A. BELL
Raymond A. Bell, age 83, beloved husband of Norma Mack Bell and father of David C. Bell, resident of Chagrin Falls for 38 years, peacefully passed away November 11, 2010.
Born October 20, 1927, in Chicago, IL to Rollie Bell and Carol Hesterberg Bell, Ray graduated Birmingham (Michigan) High School 1945, and never lost contact with his Alpha Omega fraternity buddies. He proudly served his country as an Army Corps of Engineers surveyor in Okinawa and always participated in Veterans Day events and the Chagrin Falls Memorial Day parade. He graduated Michigan State University in 1950 with a degree in business, where he developed cherished lifelong Psi Upsilon friendships and never stopped rooting for Sparty. Ray moved to Cleveland, Ohio, to begin his professional career with Reynolds Aluminum and then with Preformed Line Products as a salesman of electrical utility equipment. The friendships he developed with his fellow bachelor friends in Cleveland Heights remained special to him throughout his life.
Ray married Norma Fay Mack in 1959 and settled in Shaker Heights, Ohio, where he began his life as a devoted family man and enjoyed the camaraderie of his neighbors. He moved his family to Chagrin Falls in 1972 and soon became his own boss by starting Bell-Resky, his own business partnership of manufacturer representative sales service, where he enjoyed working from his home office until he retired.
Ray very much enjoyed life in Chagrin Falls where he excelled at entertaining family and friends, coaching CAA youth football, attending Tiger football games long after his son graduated from CFHS, fixing the tractor that was always broken, providing a warm and treasured home for his family, and of course collecting and wearing hats of all types. Ray taught his son the joy and pain of being a Cleveland Browns fan as well as inspiring him to compete in triathlon races and to never give up on achieving one's goals. He enjoyed cross-county skiing and riding his bicycle around Chagrin long after he was supposed to stop, but relishing that he could. As an avid citizen and patriot, Ray devoted his retirement years to encouraging all to be involved in community participation and democracy.
Memorial mass service at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 496 E. Washington, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022 will be held on Friday, November 19 at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family recommends donations in memory of Raymond A. Bell to Chagrin Falls Meals on Wheels, P.O. Box 23497, Chagrin Falls, OH 44023; or the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre, 40 River Street, Chagrin Falls OH 44022. Internment to be held at a later date. Arrangements by Stroud-Lawrence Funeral Home, Chagrin Falls.
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