Michael Joseph Bell

life story

Forever in our hearts, you were always on our side.

Our father went to join the love of his life in the evening of February 25, 2023. He knew that we would all be okay and would be able to carry on in his absence. There are now two stars in heaven that we hold close to our hearts.

About Michael

Michael Joseph Bell, 80, Harvard Class of 1964 passed away in Greenville, North Carolina on February 25, 2023. He leaves behind sister Carolyn (Cookie) Germano and brother James Bell, as well as daughters Korin Carter (Donald) and Alicia Payne (Brian) and son Daniel (Annette) and grandchildren Jessica Powell (David), Paige Tschudy (Victoria), Theodore Payne (Shannon), Timothy Carter, Maxwell Bell, Abigail Bell and Zakk Schafer, and great grandchildren Colton, Ahren, Delilah, Aydin, Elizabeth and Jaxon. He was predeceased by his wife Doris Elizabeth, parents, Michael and Louise Bell, step-grandsons Nathaniel and Nicholas LaBorde and nephew/godson Joseph Germano.

Learning was a large part of Michael’s life whether as a star pupil at the Fletcher School in Cambridge, a football player at Rindge Technical School, a graduate of Harvard (Class of 1964) or even later in life when he spent some time substituting for the Rochester City School District.

Of all the accomplishments Michael would want to be remembered for, his membership in F&A.M. Lodge and his status as Master Mason are two of the most important. He loved spending time with his lodge brothers and helped promote awareness of freemasonry in his town and anywhere he traveled.

Michael wore many hats as he traveled his career path. He worked with the Federal Health Department on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona, Rochester Public Health Department in Upstate New York, The US Postal Service, The New York State Department of Corrections as a Corrections Counselor before finding his final spot as a Field Parole Officer for the New York Department of Parole in Rochester. After retiring from the New York State Department of Parole, he continued to lend his knowledge and experience working as a substitute teacher with Rochester City School District and as a children’s advocate in the courts of North Carolina.

Michael and his wife Doris spent a lot of time once they retired traveling. They had been to Spain, the United Kingdom, China, Turkey, Greece, Morocco, Italy, as well as a good number of the United States. After a lengthy tour around the continental US, they chose to make their retirement home in Farmville, North Carolina.

Michael was very active in the community and in the things his children did. He spent a year as a “room mother” for Alicia’s class, stepped in with Doris to be Cadette Girl Scout leaders when there was a need, coached all three of his children when they played summer soccer. Later on Michael and Doris took part in projects that had more of a global meaning to them. They worked on a Habitat for Humanity project and participated in a number of Elder Hostel projects.

Michael had a love for life and family. He once said that thing that brought him the most joy, was seeing his children and grandchildren happy.