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Friday, April 22, 2011

Wapella.com Mourns the Passing of Jim Bell


Jimmie D. Bell, 73, Clinton, died at 10 a.m. Wednesday (April 20, 2011) at Farmer City Rehab & Health Care Center, Farmer City.

His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Calvert Funeral Home, Clinton. Ernie Harvey Jr. will officiate. Burial will be at Mausoleum Park Cemetery, Clinton. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Calvert Funeral Home, Clinton. Memorials may be made to Elks Crippled Children Foundation.



He was born May 12, 1937, in DeWitt County, son of Lloyd R. Bell and Ina Ogelsby.

He is survived by three daughters, Tammy (Kurt) Schnake, Carlock; Shelley (Marvin Jr.) Finfrock, Clinton; and Beth (Terry) Followell, Weldon; four grandchildren, Ryan Hearon, Marvin Finfrock III, Megan Finfrock and Tiffany (Brice) Carr; one great-grandchild, Madison Hearon; and one brother, Richard Bell, Stuttgart, Ark.

He was preceded in death by one sister and one grandson, Adam Hearon.

He was an Army veteran, having served in the National Guard.

He was a lifelong DeWitt County resident and farmer. He was a graduate of the University of Illinois where he was a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. He loved the Cubs and especially the Fighting Illini.

Special thank you to Kenny Nolting for caring dedication in the last years of Jim’s life

Jim was a well regarded member of the Wapella community, #1 neighboring farmer of all time, and a Champion Cattle farmer. Bell coached the Clinton Celtics in a hard fought, but ultimately futile effort in a 5th Grade YMCA Championship game against a polished Wapella squad in 1974.

A sportsman and sports enthusiast, Jim was the point man for all things related to the Fighting Illini and was a wealth of scouting and analytical information about the Illini. Bell was also a great supporter of University of Illinois alumni efforts, and was always encouraging others to support the academic and athletic programs at the university.

An Army-National Guard Veteran, all flags fly at half mast for Jim Bell.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

My condolences to the Bell family. Jim might have been one of the first non-Powers's of which I was aware in the early days, as he used to come to our house to use the phone. Never stayed long, and always all business.

Joe Powers

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