Henry Marion Bell's Obituary
HENRY MARION BELL January 9, 1947-December 23, 2017 A Mass of Christian Burial for Henry M. Bell, 70, Broken Arrow resident will be held at St. Benedict’s Catholic Church, 2200 W. Ithica St., Broken Arrow, OK at 10:00 am on Monday January 15th, 2018. Rosary will precede the service at 9:15 am. Graveside services are planned at Floral Haven Cemetery 6500 South 129th East Avenue, Broken Arrow, OK later in the Spring on April 2, 2018 with military honoring his service in the US Army in Viet Nam. Henry was born on January 9, 1947 to Gladys Marie (Maynard) and Marion Francis Bell in Harrisonville, Missouri and passed away on December 23, 2017 while In the loving care of the staff at St. Francis Hospital and Hospice Care in Tulsa, OK. Henry was raised in the greater Kansas City area as a child living in Harrisonville, MO, Gardner, Kansas, Pleasant Hill, Mo., Greenwood, Mo,& Lee’s Summit, Mo. He attended Lee’s Summit Senior High School and completed his GED after being drafted into the US Army where he trained at Fort Riley, Kansas and met his future wife Margie who was attending Marymount College in Salina, Kansas. He served with the 9th Infantry Division, 2nd of the 47th unit where he drove a track in Viet Nam. He was awarded the Combat Infantryman’s badge and Army Commendation Medals and served as a weapons instructor at Fort Polk, Louisiana before his honorable discharge in May, 1968. Henry was married to Margie Louise Tapphorn Bell on June 8th 1968 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Grinnell, Kansas. To this union was born a son, Tracy Alan, who lives in North Carolina with grandson Noah. Margie and Henry also had twins who returned to Jesus before birth. Henry was a kind and generous, hard- working, loving husband, father, and grandfather. He began his early career in the grocery business with the Kroger Company and Balls Supermarkets in Kansas City, Kansas where he went from dairy clerk to night manager and assistant manager. He eventually fulfilled his dream of owning his own grocery store, North Lyndon IGA, in Lyndon, Kansas. He was Captain of the Burns Security force in Burlington, Kansas during the construction phase of the Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant. He also managed for Furr’s Cafeterias in Hutchinson, Kansas and Tulsa, OK and other fast food chains in Broken Arrow, OK. Before starting BelMar Vending a pop and snack business he named after his wife who spent countless hours counting quarters. The grandkids found it great fun to help count quarters and raid his snacks after helping stock pop on the routes. He was a member of St. Benedict’s Catholic Church, a lifetime member of Disabled American Veterans, and a past member of Lyndon Lions Club and Chamber of Commerce, Broken Arrow VFW post # 10887, Retail Clerk’s Union, and past member of the Retail Grocer’s Association. He was an avid Chief’s and Royals fan, loved to watch movies, enjoyed feeding and watching birds at our old house, took up target practice recently as he felt a need to protect his family. His favorite hobbies however were definitely centered on loving his grandchildren whom he loved to mentor, guide, and spoil a little bit. He enjoyed tinkering with tools and teaching his grandchildren simple skills such as pounding a nail or screwing screws in a board. He was proud when he was able to outrun his young granddaughter as a child leaving the amusement park and was most proud to see that granddaughter receive her RN degree in Nursing and to see her happily married to her high school sweetheart, Trent Butler. Recently he looked on with great pride from his hospital bed as he watched his grandson Nicholas graduate from basic training in the US Army in Fort Benning , Georgia. He was preceded in death by his parents, Gladys and Marion Bell and our twins Dennis Christopher and Patricia Ann. He is survived by his wife Margie of the home, son Tracy and Grandson Noah of North Carolina, his granddaughter Ashley and her husband Trent of Wichita, Kansas. Grandson, Private Nicholas Bell of Fort Lewis, Washington, step grandchildren, Nathan and Shelby, aunts, cousins, and a host of relatives and friends. Thanks, from your wife Margie for the memories and love in sickness and in health for better or for worse over 49 plus years. She looks forward to joining you for a joyous reunion in our heavenly home together again one day. In the words of a movie starring Jimmy Stewart that Henry used to watch often at Christmas time, “ Whenever you hear a bell ring, an angel gets his wings.” Well. As the Christmas Bells rang out this year, I think an angel named Henry Bell got his wings. His earthly suffering was ended. Rest dear husband and sleep in heavenly peace with Jesus and all the angels and saints. You have earned your wings! Written by your wife, Margie L. Bell as my Spiritual Christmas Gift to You on the Christmas we had to say “I will see you again someday”.
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