Merle R. Bell

Mineral Ridge- Funeral services will be held 11 AM Tuesday at the Lane Funeral Home-Mineral Ridge Chapel for Merle R. Bell- age 73 of Mineral Ridge who died early Friday morning in St. Elizabeth Hospital. Merle was born May 3, 1934 in Signal, OH and was the son of the late Chester R. and Gladys (Willis) Bell. He retired in 1996 from Bliss Manufacturing where he worked in maintenance and had formerly worked at Salem Bowling Center at Timberlanes, Fitzpatrick Supper Club, Morain’s Pipe Construction and Steel City. He enjoyed family, friends, yard work, gardening, wood working and traveling. Merle is survived by his wife, the former Clara Jane Schroeder whom he married Sept. 4, 1960. He leaves four children, Cynthia S. (Sam) DeKinder of Atlanta, GA, Vera L. (Coy) White of Nashville, TN, Vicki L. (John) Kephart of Poland, Larry R. Bell at home, four siblings Eugene (Helen Bell, Shirley Westphal, Sandra Finch all of Salem and Vivian (Herman) Gorby of Columbiana. Merle leaves seven grandchildren, Azia, Amanda and R.E. Wolfe, Kimberly White, Ashly, Allesha and John Kephart. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers Earl Bell who was his twin brother, Joey Bell and four sisters, Betty Huston, Deloris Bell, Ann Wilson and Leota Bell. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4-8 PM Monday. The family requests that material contributions be made to Ohltown United Methodist Church or to your favorite charity.