Obituary: Bell, William Lloyd
Age 90
He is survived by his three children: Lynn (Nick) Woodworth of Florence, OR, Michael (Stephanie) Bell of Spokane, and Patrick (TinaMarie) Bell of Coeur d’Alene; ten grandchildren; nineteen great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
He was born on September 11, 1924, to Lloyd and Grace Bell in Bell, Washington.
He excelled in his early education at a one room school house and was graduated from Rockford High School at age sixteen.
An incredibly witty man, he often joked about a quota system that qualified farm kids to go to Harvard University where he went to study engineering.
He played first trombone in the Harvard Marching Band, one of his proudest accomplishments, and violin in the orchestra.
When war broke out he came home to enlist which required parental consent for young men his age.
His father accompanied him to the Federal Building in Coeur d’Alene to sign for him.
Bill joined the Marine Air Corps and flew more than seventy missions.
He served in the Pacific Theater in far off places like Mindanao, Luzon, Guadalcanal, Bougainville and Peleliu.
Many of his missions were to bomb railroad installations which may have contributed to his sixty year plus fascination with model railroading, the genesis of which, he said, was growing up between the tracks of the Union Pacific and the Milwaukee railroads.
His planes were repeatedly hit by enemy fire and he was nearly killed in the crash of a Torpedo Bomber that resulted in the death of several crew members.
But, he said jokingly, the closest he ever came to a violent death was in a truck, hitchhiking from San Francisco to Spokane with some drunken hunters who passed him their gin bottle more times than he cared to remember.
Already a highly decorated aviator, he received three Distinguished Flying Crosses and nine Air Medals in January of 2014 at age 89.
Like most World War II vets, Bill was eager to get home so some of his medals did not catch up to him; a determined member of the Pappy Boyington detachment made sure he got his due.
Those medals were lovingly placed in cases with dozens more he had received in more timely fashion.
He said about them, “I have citations which are mysteries to me; I must have done something to earn them, but I have no idea what.”
Bill married Beverly Jean (Bard) in Raleigh, North Carolina, on August 7, 1944.
She preceded him in death in 2003 after 58 years of marriage.
He affectionately and ironically referred to her as Big Red because of her diminutive stature.
They met at Rogers High School in Spokane when he attended a conference at which she was a guide.
She also worked at the State Theater; Bill claimed he fell in love with her knees, which he could see through the glass partition in the concession stand.
Returning from the War, Bill became a farmer, demonstrating in civilian life the leadership qualities he had honed in combat.
He instituted progressive farming techniques that greatly increased efficiency and productivity.
As a result of his success, he became Director of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers, and a board member of the Farm Credit Bureau, and North Pacific Grain Growers.
He spent time in Mexico assisting Dr. Norman Borlaug, an agronomist who was later awarded the Nobel Prize, in developing new methods for farming.
He learned Spanish for that assignment.
Throughout his life, Bill was known for his quick wit, ready smile, and great sense of humor.
He loved people and thrived on diversity.
In his words, he was “a sucker for the underdog.”
He loved singing, playing the fiddle, wood working, model railroading, travel, and his dogs.
But it was always family that inspired his pride the most and he labored diligently in his later years to remember each of them.
In addition to service rendered to his country and farming, he also served many years on the boards of the North Pacific Grass Growers, the Federal Land Bank, the Whitworth University Foundation, and Camp Cross on behalf of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane.
To honor Bill’s life of service, the family suggests donations in lieu of flowers to the Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service (SCRAPS), 6815 E. Trent, Spokane Valley, Washington 99212, in his name.
A Memorial Service will be held at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Fifth and Wallace, in Coeur d’Alene, at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 29, 2014.
Officiating will be the Reverend Patrick Bell, Rector at St. Luke’s and son of the deceased.
First Lieutenant William Lloyd Bell will also be accorded full Military Honors followed by a reception in the Church hall.
Please visit Bill’s online memorial and sign his guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.