Deceased: 2001-08-23
Diocese: SAGINAW
ICTE Spring: 1992
The Rev. Michael Wayne Bell, 56, died Thursday, Aug. 23, 2001, at his residence in Morgantown. He was born Jan. 21, 1945, in Greenwood. His parents are Verness and Ethel B. (Sturgeon) Bell of Franklin. He married Janice F. (Stephenson) Bell on June 20, 1965, at Whiteland First Baptist Church. She survives.
Other survivors include two daughters, Danielle F. Brayer of New Whiteland and Carrie E. Weddle of Franklin; a son, M. Alexander Bell of Morgantown; three sisters, Beverly Fisher of Whiteland, Susie Snoke of Stafford, Va., and Judy Browning of Franklin; a brother, Thomas Bell of Indianapolis; and four grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one brother, Larry Bell, in December 2000.
He was a 1964 graduate of Whiteland High School. He attended International Bible Institute in Orlando, Fla., where he received his bachelor’s degree in 1985. He received his master’s degree in 1995 and his doctorate in 1997 from Andersonville Baptist Seminary in Camilla, Ga.
He was a pastor at Morgantown Assembly of God until June 24, 2001, serving for four years. During that time he was also employed at Winters Association in Columbus as a sales representative and at the Franklin Wal-Mart as a department head.
He helped found Sprunica Baptist Church in 1975 and served as its first pastor. He then served as a pastor at the Harrodsburg Assembly of God Church and the LaVale Assembly of God in LaVale, Md., for nine years. Prior to returning to Morgantown, he served for two years at the Hazel River Assembly of God in Rixeyville, Va.
He wrote a weekly spiritual and inspirational column for six years for the Scout. He was also on the board of directors of Morgantown Senior Citizens and served on the Morgantown Zoning Board. He enjoyed working on his Victorian home in Morgantown and on electronic equipment.
Services were entrusted to Meredith-Clark Funeral Home of Morgantown, Indiana.
