Richard Lee Bell

RICHARD LEE BELL

Hillsboro/Houghton

Richard Lee Bell, 75, of the Hillsboro and Houghton communities, passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, at his home.

Richard was born on Feb. 27, 1944, in Mt. Ayr, Iowa, the son of Harold Raymond and Pauline Long Bell. In his youth he was a member of the Baptist Youth Fellowship in Delphos, Iowa, and was a Boy Scout. He graduated from the Mt. Ayr community schools in 1963. Richard went on to serve his country in the United States Army. After his discharge, Richard accepted the Lord as his Savior on Feb. 8, 1968. While working at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in Middletown as a security guard, he met the love of his life, Cheryl Diane Van Winkle. They were united in marriage on April 20, 1969, at Burlington. He went on to graduate from Baptist Bible College and Willard G. Graff Technical School in Springfield, Mo., in 1975. Richard worked as a firefighter out west, as a welder, a factory worker and janitor, and retired from the Henry County Health Center in Mt. Pleasant. He was a member of the Bonaparte Baptist Church, T.O.P.S., Burlington, and the former Rhythm Rockers in Mt. Pleasant. He enjoyed visiting libraries, particularly the Burlington Public Library.

He is survived by his wife, Cheryl of Houghton; his sons, John Lewis Bell, Mark and his wife Courtney Bell and their children, Samuel Gaylan Bell and Clara Jo Rylee Bell, all of Burlington; his sister-in-law, Jane Bell of Atlantic, his brother-in-law, Roland Buck; brother-in-law, Rick (Becky) Van Winkle; and his sister-in-law, Kathy Van Winkle; along with cousins, nieces, nephews and many friends.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents, Harold Bell and Pauline Long Bell Wheelen; an infant child; his brother, Roger Bell; stepfather, Emeral Wheelen; his stepsister, Jane Buck; his brother-in-law, Alan Van Winkle; and his father- and mother-in-law, Lewis and Hazel Van Winkle.

Funeral services will be held on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019, at 2 p.m. at the Murphy Funeral Home in Mt. Pleasant with Mark Bell officiating. Burial will be in the Clay Grove Cemetery with full military honors. Friends may call after 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Murphy Funeral Home in Mt. Pleasant, where the family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m. that evening. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Great River Christian School or to the Donnellson Health Center in his memory.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.murphyfuneralandmonuments.com. Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant is caring for his arrangements.