BELL: Arthur John
On Friday, January 21, 2022, Arthur (Art) John Bell of Goderich Township passed away peacefully in his 94th year surrounded by his family at Clinton Public Hospital.
Art was happily married to the love of his life, Olive Loreen (Cardiff) Bell, for 66 years. Olive’s beautiful smile always brought him happiness, especially in his last moments. She was his partner in a life of ups and downs, as they worked side-by-side growing a fruit farm and a family. Mom and Dad loved visiting relatives and collecting more family history through pictures and stories. Their door was always open and always came with their complementary five-star local history tour, Airbnb, and personal Uber driver services.
Those who knew Art appreciated that he put 100 per cent into everything. Whether it was for his family or the local community, Art always led by example and effort. Equally obvious were his passions for baseball, gardening, hunting, long trips across Canada, and winning at cards. One of his proudest achievements was a 185-yard hole-in-one. Art was a creative and self-taught jack-of-all-trades who mastered such diverse tasks as bricklaying, fruit-farming, welding, woodworking, coaching, one-handed typing, and genealogy. He mastered each of these things to respond to the needs of those he cared about.
Of all the things dear to Dad, his family was the most important. Blessed to call him Dad are Jim and Gwen (Pickett) Bell of Goderich Township, Cheryl (Bell) Gomez of Mississauga and her late husband Oscar, Scott and Erin (Nagle) Bell of Oakville, and Travis and Karolina (Kondovski) Bell of Clarkson.
Art was one of eighteen siblings that stayed close despite being spread across the country, from sea to sea. He is survived by his siblings and their spouses*: Norman and Diane* Bell, Walter and Cathy* Bell, Luella Royal, David and Joanne* Bell, Irene Markham, Shirley Pole, Lois Burke, Gerald Bell, and Olga* Bell. He will also be missed by an abundance of nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his parents Fred and Mae Bell, stepmother Merle (Parker) Bell and their children David Willis Bell, Jean and Russell* Phillips, Arnold Bell, Phyllis and Ernie* Chapman, Addie* Bell, Bill* Burke, Stu* Pole, Bob* Markham and Ken Royal as well as his Parker step-siblings Frank* and Patty Northgrave, John* and Betty Simmons, Dave and Pat* Parker, Fred and Pat* Parker, Harold and Bea* Parker.
Art was a devoted Grandpa to Alaina and David*, Jamie and Danica*, Jenny and fiancée Kyle*, Richard, Dylan, Jordyn, Connor, Kyla, Julia, Olivia, and Madelyn. Grandpa always told the grandkids that even though he lived through the Depression, WW2, and extreme debt early on, he thinks those times were some of the best of times because they fostered closeness of family and friends.
Art loved to write letters to the editor of the local papers on any topic. He was the self-proclaimed best one finger typist in the county.
This is his last writeup in the paper – “Pops, out.”
As per Art’s wishes, we are planning an internment at Maitland Cemetery, and a Celebration of Life to be held at the family farm this spring.
As expressions of sympathy, memorial donations to the Clinton Public Hospital Foundation, who provided exceptional support to Art and Olive.
Messages of condolence for the Bell family are welcome at www.falconerfuneralhomes.com
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Arthur Bell Friday January 21 2022..
Death notice for the town of: Clinton, Province: Ontario