Joe Fearon Bell

Mr. Joe Fearon Bell, 77, resident of Claremont, died Monday, November 4, 2013 at Maury Regional Medical Center. Funeral services will be conducted Thursday at 1:00 p.m. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Rev. Donna Higginbotham and Billy Ray King officiating. Burial will follow in Old Well Cemetery with military honors provided by Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19. The family will visit with friends Wednesday from 4 - 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. The family suggests memorials to Old Well Cemetery Fund, c/o Richard Farris, 3719 Albert Matthews Road, Columbia, Tennessee, 38401 or Mt. Nebo United Methodist Church, c/o Melissa Greer, 1920 Ivy Court, Columbia, Tennessee, 38401. Condolences may be offered online at www.oakesandnichols.com. A native of the Sawdust Community in Maury County, he was the son of the late Will Lewis Bell and Nora Primm Chamberlain Bell. He attended Woodrow Elementary School and was a 1954 graduate of Central High School where he was voted Mr. Baseball his senior year. Following High School he served in the United States Army during the Korean War. In 1958 he married Linda Blair "Lynn" Farris Bell who preceded him in death May 30, 2012. Mr. Bell was employed by Monsanto Chemical Company for thirty-six years. He was very active with the Maury Regional Hospital Auxillary where he served as President for two years and held many positions including, Ambassador, care van driver, cancer department volunteer and was most recently the "candy man". He was a gospel singer and recorded a gospel program for WXRQ Radio for many years. Mr. Bell was a member of Mt. Nebo United Methodist Church and was a former lay leader and past Gideon. He was very family oriented and loved spending time with his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, brothers and sisters, and extended family members. Survivors include his son, Joseph Kent Bell of Spring Hill; daughters, Ruth Olivia (Bob) Simmons and Nora Diane (Mike) Bone both of Columbia; sisters, Virginia Bell Tallent, Barbara Bell (Frank) Thomas both of Columbia, Jane Bell Jones of Mt. Pleasant; grandchildren, Jonas Fearon (Holley) Bell, Aimee Denise (Scott) Baldwin, Amanda Blair (Craig) Bechet, Aaren Nicole Springer, Thomas Carson Bone, Joseph Nolan Bone; great-grandchildren, Christian Scott Baldwin, Savannah Ruth Baldwin, Carter William Bechet; brothers-in-law, Jimmy Grimmett, William "Bill" Harlan, Clyde W. (Sara) Farris, Herbert Henry (Lynn) Farris Jr., Billy K. (Carolyn) Farris; sisters-in-law, Ruth Olivia Tart and Helen Bell; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a son, Thomas Fearon Bell; two brothers, Lewis Chamberlain Bell and James Thomas Bell and sisters, Billie Bell Kincaid, Mary Lee Bell Harlan and Lounora Bell Grimmett. Active pallbearers are Nolan Bone, Carson Bone, Jeffery Kincaid, Craig Bechet, Stan Bell, Garrick Jones, Jonas Bell, Richard Farris, Jim Anderson and Kyle Green. Honorary pallbearers include Clyde and Sara Farris, Donald Paul, Billy Ray King, men of Mt. Nebo United Methodist Church, retired employees of Monsanto Chemical Company, members of Maury Regional Hospital Auxillary and Cracker Barrel Friends.