More detail on this person: Major Robert James
Bell, a true patriot, an officer and a gentleman,
passed away Sat., August 9, 2014, at 3:30pm at
Medical Center Hospital. He fought a long and hard
battle with bravery, as he did in the service he
gave to his country! His loving wife, Orpha Lee
Bell, was at his side, as well as "good friends."
Bob was born in Fairfield, Iowa, by his parents,
Ella and Royal Bell, who preceded him in death.
"Bob," as his friends referred to him, was a
talented and versatile aviator in three wars,
WWII, Korea and Vietnam. He dreamed of being an
army pilot as he grew up an Iowa farm boy. He got
his chance to fly in the "Wild Blue Yonder"
because of the coming of the 1939-1945 WWII. He
learned to fly almost every type of plane there
was, including the Sikorsky CH-3 Jolly Green Giant
helicopter, the P-40 Warhawk and the PT19, as well
as the KC135. Bob was assigned to the Strategic
Air Command during the Vietnam War. Bob loved to
tell stories of his experiences during his "war
years" and he could spell-bound you quickly. His
fellow CAF Colonels at Odessa based CAF Desert
Squadron held "Bell" in high esteem, as Bob loved
all of them. He recently was honored as an
inductee into the American Combat Airmen Hall of
Fame with others at the CAF Airshow in 2013.
Bob was a member of the Sherwood Church of
Christ and a Christian. He seldom met a man he did
not like.
Bob is survived by his wife, Lee Bell of Odessa;
son, Gregory of Denver, CO; daughters, Marisue
Bell, Linny Miller of Tuscon, AZ; son, Tim Bell of
Arizona; step-daughter, Shelby Smithee of Denver,
CO; two grandsons, Harrison and Brian Bell of
Denver; a sister, Betty Cottrell of Wyoming; a
brother, Troy of Arizona; step-grandson, Brian
Graf serving in Afghanistan, and
step-granddaughters, Melanie Graf and Natalie
White of Denver.
Bob loved to laugh and joke around with all his
comrades. He loved old movies, especially war
movies, and all John Wayne movies. Bob and his
wife, Lee, have been married for 26 years. He will
be greatly missed by her and all his dear friends,
especially the CAF members of the Odessa
squadron.
Family will receive friends from 6-8pm Tuesday,
August 12, 2014, at Frank W. Wilson Funeral
Directors.
Funeral service will be at 11am Wednesday, August
13, 2014, at Frank W. Wilson Funeral Chapel with
Lynn Money officiating.
Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens.
Services are entrusted to Frank W. Wilson Funeral
Directors.
Published in Odessa American on Aug. 12, 2014
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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