Robert Samuel Bell

Robert S. Bell, 83, Dies Friday After 35-Year Residence

Robert Samuel Bell died at the Manring Convalescent Home Friday, May 9th at the age of 83.

Mr. Bell had been a resident of this community for the past 35 years, with the exception of two years which were spent in California for his wife's health. She died there in September, 1944 and her remains were brought back to Node for burial and Mr. Bell has remained here since that time, making his home at the Ranger Hotel until a few weeks ago when because of his failing health he was taken to the Manring Convalescent Home.

His grandson, the late Virgil Olds, had been raised by his grandparents and was a major in the Army Air Corps in World War II when he was shot down over Tokyo. This tragedy was a terrible sorrow to Mr. Bell who idolized his grandson.

Robert Samuel Bell was born at Westmore, Vt. Dec. 10, 1863, the son of Samuel and Jane Bell and was the fifth child in a family of six.

When he was ten years old the family moved to Crawford county, Iowa where he received his schooling. On July 1, 1889 he was married to Minnie Vennick. They became the parents of three children, two daughters and a son. One daughter, Ada, died in infancy and the other, Mrs. Mildred Bell Olds died in 1915.

Mr. and Mrs. Bell moved to South Dakota in 1886 and resided there until 1912 when they located on a homestead two miles south of Moe where they made their home until 1942 when they moved to California for two years.

Funeral services were conducted from the Peet Chapel on Sunday afternoon at 2:30 with Rev. Ezra Duncan, pastor of the Baptist church officiating with the prayer, scripture reading and the obituary, and the Masonic funeral service was used with C.E. Marvin officiating.

A solo, "Face to Face", was sung by Darryl Manring. A quartet composed of Lafe Culver Jr., Darryl Manring, Don Unruh and George Gibson, sang "Going Down The Valley," Mrs. Garnet Lohr played a violin solo. Mrs. H.J. Templeton was the accompanist for the musical numbers.

The casket bearers were John W. Agnew, C.W. Erwin, J.P. Costlow, J.B. Griffith, E.M. Criss and Thomas O. Miller, who accompanied the remains to the Node cemetery where interment was made beside his wife and daughter. The Masonic burial service was conducted at the graveside.

Surviving him is his son, Lyle Bell of Provo, Utah, and a sister, Mrs. Jennie Albert of Missoula, Mont. and two grandsons, Ivan and Karl Bell, sons of Lyle.

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