Event Date : Wednesday, April 13, 1966
Event Type : Death
Municipality :
Community : West Gwillimbury
Street :
Lot :
Concession : 0
Description : West Gwillimbury lost one of its older lifelong residents with the passing of Ernest James Bell, who died suddenly on the evening of April 13, 1966, at his home on the 14th
Concession. He was in his 79th year and was the second son of the late Andrew Bell and his wife, Alice Bateman.Although his health had been failing for a number of years, his kindly, warm-hearted disposition always prevailed and he was never heard to murmer of complain in any way. When he was well, his active life was spent in farming, which he loved, and in giving of himself in the service of others.He was a member of St. John's Presbyterian Church, Coulson's Hill, where he attended regularly and sang in the choir for many years.In 1919 he married Iva Stewart and they farmed at Steele's Corners until 1932, when they moved to the farm formerly owned by Robert Kneeshaw, just west of Steele's Corners, where he died.He is survived by his wife, three sons, Andrew of Toronto, Robert of Ottawa and John at home, also three grandsons, three granddaughters and one great-granddaughter. Surviving also is one brother, Harold Bell of Gilford, and four sisters, Viola (Mrs. Carnahan) of Elmvale; Clara (Mrs. W. R. Baynes) of Barrie; Marjorie (Mrs. T. Scott) of Barrie and Dorothy (Mrs. R. Hood) of Toronto. He was predeceased by two sisters, Mabel (Mrs. H. Hughes) and Edna, who died in infancy, and by four brothers, Roy, Clarence, Ross and Frank.The funeral was held on Saturday, April 16, from Lloyd Hughes' Funeral Home at Cookstown, with the services being conducted by his minister, Mr. Fred Reed. Interment was in St. John's Cemetery, Coulson's Hill.Pallbearers were three nephews, Herbert Hughes, Tom Bell and Ken Bell and three members of the church, Wm. Jelly, Arnold Meredith and Jim Roberts.Flower bearers were Norbert Moriarty, Dyce Sturgeon, Blake Constable, Eric Wright, John Kneeshaw and Clarence Baynes.
