Wayne Francis Bell

Wayne was born in Santa Rosa at Memorial Hospital in 1951, he lived his whole life in Healdsburg and he adored this community and everything that it stood for.

As a child he picked prunes with his sister Pamela and would drive the prune truck to the drying plant while sitting on a prune box as he wasn't big enough to see over the wheel.

He started working for the family business driving in 1967 at the age of sixteen. He used to take long road trips which he often talked fondly about, driving back to pick up his brother from school; you could say that driving was in the blood.

In 1970 he went to work for Gene Davenport at Cadle's Mercy Ambulance in Santa Rosa while taking classes at the Junior College. In 1972 he was in a car accident, with a major injury to his face he had to stop working for them.

In 1974 he went to work full time for Bell's Ambulance alongside his parents Lea and Inez Bell. To give his parents a break he would often work the ambulance with his friend Greg Hannan.

He met the love of his life in 1973 and they were married in 1975, had four children who he adored. In 1991 a few years after his fourth child was born he stopped driving the ambulance. At that time his mom retired from working at Bell's and he stepped in along with his sister Pamela to run the company. In 2019 he retired from working for Bell's due to his health.

He was a forty-seven year member of the Knights Of Columbus and was Grand Knight for twenty plus years. He enjoyed giving back to his church and his community. He cooked many feeds for three hundred plus people and loved every minute of it.

In 2006 his first granddaughter was born and he became a Nonno. Eventually three more grandkids were born and he loved spending time with them.

Wayne Francis Bell, son of Lea Bell and Inez Guadagni Bell, died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, on October 31, 2022. Survived by his wife of 47 years, Pamela Cadd Bell, his sons James Bell (Jennifer) and Joseph Bell, his daughters Jeanette Bell Chellig (Frank) and Julie Bell Cambra (Jon), his four wonderful grandchildren, Jordana and Jaimee Bell, Michael and Elizabeth Cambra. Also survived by his sister Pamela Bell Simmons (Brad) and sister-in-law Samantha Serota Bell, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Preceded in death by his parents and brother Loren Bell.

In Lieu of flowers please make donations to: St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Healdsburg.

Published in Healdsburg Tribune · November 8, 2022