| II Corinthians 5:8 We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord
Loren P. Bell, age 88, of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, entered into the presence of the Lord on Saturday, July 14th, at the Adams Regional Medical Center, Chillicothe, Ohio.
He was born February 14, 1919 in Calhoun County, near Grantsville. His parents were the late Ollie Roscoe Bell and Verna Lee Wigner Bell. Loren had three brothers, Charlie, Bernard, and Norman, and three sisters, Esther, Nida and Desal.
He was married to Opal Virginia Hartshorn in 1956. They were married until Opal's going home in 1992. They had three children, Kirk T. Lutz (Loren's stepson), Mark Craig Bell of Peterborough, England, and Beverly Linn Bell Hammack of Chillicothe. He also has a son-in-law, Martin Hammack, and a daughter-in-law, Kelly Capehart Bell. He has four step grandchildren, Shanna Michelle Lutz, Kelly Roxanne Lutz, Rikki Michelle Lutz, and Tommy Kirk Lutz. Five grandchildren, Nathan Cory Hammack, Cameron Dawn Hammack, Martina Elizabeth Hammack, Aaron Tyler Bell, and Christopher Ryan Bell.
Loren was a veteran of WWII. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1940, in which he served until after the war ended in 1945. He first served in the Panama Canal Zone, until being transferred to to the 8th Air Force in the European theatre of operations. Upon being honorably discharged from the military, he worked for a number of years at the steel mill in Steubenville, Ohio until he married Opal in 1956. During their married life, Loren worked in Calhoun County, and the Akron Ohio area. He retired from Rockwell International and the family settled in Mason County. After retirement he worked for 11 years at Bob Evans Farm as a tour guide and host. He enjoyed his work very much, especially dressing up in period costume, making apple butter and cooking beans in a brass kettle.
Loren was a longtime member of the Gospel Lighthouse Church in Point Pleasant. Although he was not able to attend in recent years, due to poor health, he enjoyed visits from his Pastor, the late Bill Banks.
Visiting hours are from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 21 at the Deal Funeral Home in Point Pleasant. The funeral will immediately follow at 3 p.m. with Missionary Mark Bell officiating.
The family will observe a graveside service 1 p.m. Sunday, July 22 at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery near Grantsville, WV. Pastor Joe Hammack will officiate at the graveside. |
