James Bell
February 28, 1937 — October 26, 2009
James Bell
NIXA � James C. Bell, 72, died of ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) on Oct. 26, 2009, in his home.
Jim was born in Belfield, N.D., on Feb. 28, 1937, the seventh of nine children. He grew up in Twin Rocks, Ore., on the beautiful Pacific Coast. He married Caryl A. Stearns on Sept. 9, 1960.
Jim attended Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore., majoring in business administration. Jim was the first in his family to attend college. In 1961, he joined the Oregon Air National Guard, then transferred to the Army Reserves. He began a career managing industrial linen supply companies. Over the years, his management career led him from the Oregon Coast to Los Angeles to Kansas City, and then to Springfield, Mo., where he worked for 20 years as vice president of Tri-States/Colonial Linen.
He was a math whiz who also had a knack for understanding the chemical compounds behind the fabric treatments used at the plant, and thus earned the nickname "Dr. Bell" from colleagues. He worked long hours, starting well before dawn, even after the disease began affecting his life. Eventually, ALS took away his ability to walk and talk, but Jim was adaptable and self-reliant and maintained his independence to the end. His greatest joy was sharing in the activities and accomplishments of his children and grandchildren.
He also was an avid fan of sports -- playing, coaching and watching them. As a student at Neah-Kah-Nie High School in Rockaway, Ore., he ran track and played football, basketball and baseball. He started college at Pacific with a full football scholarship but quit playing due to injuries. As a young man, he coached kids' sports and umpired baseball in Johnson County, Kan.
Jim was preceded in death by his wife, Caryl; his parents, Jesse and Nellie Bell of Rockaway Beach, Ore.; his brother, Charles Bell; and his sisters, Margret Frisvold and Carrie Canfield.
He is survived by one son, Curtis Bell and his wife Kellie, Nixa; three daughters, Debora Bell and husband Bob Ekle of Columbia, Mo., Kimberly Bell and husband William Bryan of Kirkwood, Mo., and Jacqui Weiss and husband Eric of Los Angeles, Ca.; and seven grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Lauren and Jackson Bell of Nixa, Annie Bryan of Kirkwood, Mo., Benjamin and Zachary Weiss of Los Angeles, and Sarah Ekle of Columbia, Mo.; and his siblings, William (Bill) Bell, and his wife Verna of Sweet Home, Ore., Betty Postma of Sweet Home, Ore., Lorna Graham, and her husband Merl of Glenrock, WY, Carole Jenell Knox of Scio, Ore. and John Bell of Oakland, CA.
Graveside services in Rivermonte Memorial Gardens will be private. Arrangements are being handled by Herman H. Lohmeyer Funeral Home, 500 E. Walnut Street in Springfield. Memorial contributions can be made to ALS Association or to Hospice and Palliative Care of Springfield.
Online condolences can be shared at www.hhlohmeyer.com.
Jim was born in Belfield, N.D., on Feb. 28, 1937, the seventh of nine children. He grew up in Twin Rocks, Ore., on the beautiful Pacific Coast. He married Caryl A. Stearns on Sept. 9, 1960.
Jim attended Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore., majoring in business administration. Jim was the first in his family to attend college. In 1961, he joined the Oregon Air National Guard, then transferred to the Army Reserves. He began a career managing industrial linen supply companies. Over the years, his management career led him from the Oregon Coast to Los Angeles to Kansas City, and then to Springfield, Mo., where he worked for 20 years as vice president of Tri-States/Colonial Linen.
He was a math whiz who also had a knack for understanding the chemical compounds behind the fabric treatments used at the plant, and thus earned the nickname "Dr. Bell" from colleagues. He worked long hours, starting well before dawn, even after the disease began affecting his life. Eventually, ALS took away his ability to walk and talk, but Jim was adaptable and self-reliant and maintained his independence to the end. His greatest joy was sharing in the activities and accomplishments of his children and grandchildren.
He also was an avid fan of sports -- playing, coaching and watching them. As a student at Neah-Kah-Nie High School in Rockaway, Ore., he ran track and played football, basketball and baseball. He started college at Pacific with a full football scholarship but quit playing due to injuries. As a young man, he coached kids' sports and umpired baseball in Johnson County, Kan.
Jim was preceded in death by his wife, Caryl; his parents, Jesse and Nellie Bell of Rockaway Beach, Ore.; his brother, Charles Bell; and his sisters, Margret Frisvold and Carrie Canfield.
He is survived by one son, Curtis Bell and his wife Kellie, Nixa; three daughters, Debora Bell and husband Bob Ekle of Columbia, Mo., Kimberly Bell and husband William Bryan of Kirkwood, Mo., and Jacqui Weiss and husband Eric of Los Angeles, Ca.; and seven grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Lauren and Jackson Bell of Nixa, Annie Bryan of Kirkwood, Mo., Benjamin and Zachary Weiss of Los Angeles, and Sarah Ekle of Columbia, Mo.; and his siblings, William (Bill) Bell, and his wife Verna of Sweet Home, Ore., Betty Postma of Sweet Home, Ore., Lorna Graham, and her husband Merl of Glenrock, WY, Carole Jenell Knox of Scio, Ore. and John Bell of Oakland, CA.
Graveside services in Rivermonte Memorial Gardens will be private. Arrangements are being handled by Herman H. Lohmeyer Funeral Home, 500 E. Walnut Street in Springfield. Memorial contributions can be made to ALS Association or to Hospice and Palliative Care of Springfield.
Online condolences can be shared at www.hhlohmeyer.com.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of James Bell, please visit our flower store.
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