IN MEMORIAM
William Earnest
Bell, Jr.
born April 21, 1921
died February 28, 2001
My father, William Earnest Bell, Jr., died 28 February, 2001 at 7:45PM after a lengthy illness. He would have been 80 years old in April.
Dad was a member of what has been called the Greatest Generation. That is the generation who, when called upon, unhesitatingly took up arms against what is arguably the greatest evil ever to confront mankind; and when they had won, they came home to quietly rebuild their lives. His generation produced many celebrated heroes: MacArthur, Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy, to name a few. But there was another kind of hero: the quiet, unassuming men who came home, had children, and lived quiet unassuming lives.
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My father was that kind of hero. He was a decorated veteran who fought in World War II, as well as serving his country during both the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He retired from the United States Air Force after 23 years. |
My father did not have degrees from great universities, though he was wise;
he did not have great amounts of money, though he was rich. He was not perfect,
though he had high standards. He taught me by example that to be a man is
to show your love to your family. He showed me that the greatest wealth a
man could have is the knowledge that you are loved. He showed me that if I
aimed for the best, then I would never fall far from that mark.
His legacy to me - my inheritance, if you will - is a wealth and richness beyond anything this world can offer. I have many memories of a man who did his best to show me his love, even when times were hard or circumstances difficult; who always accepted me, no matter what; who showed that a real man stands with his family, forever.
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He and my Mom would have been married for 58 years, come this June; together through good times and bad, they taught me what true love and commitment is. I have been married to Jill for almost 14 years now; I expect to remain so "till death do us part," due in large part to the example of my father and mother. |
William Bell was and always will be a hero to me. I love him more than words can possibly say. He was far from perfect and was painfully aware of that fact, but he always aimed for the best. He wanted the best for his family, and did everything he could to see that we were taken care of. I pray that I will live up to his example with my own family, and in this way, honor his memory.
This was taken from the eulogy that I delivered at Dad's funeral on 3 February, 2001 in Paris, TX.