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Submitted: 1/11/20 • Approved: 1/11/20 • Last Updated: 1/14/20 • R1290036-G0-S3
July 11, 1943 - June 11, 2019
Charles Quinton Bell of Pine Bluff, a longtime, beloved educator in the Watson Chapel School District passed away Tuesday, June 11, 2019 after a very brief battle with cancer.
Born July 11, 1943 at Pine Bluff, he was a son of the late C. Q. Bell and Vanita Word Bell. He was reared and educated at Rison and graduated from Rison High School in 1962.
Charles continued his education at Henderson State University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, graduating in 1967. He later earned a Master of Science degree in Education in 1984.
His long career with the Watson Chapel School District began in 1968. He initially taught fourth grade at Coleman Elementary, and then was moved to Sulphur Springs Elementary for a few years. He then taught fifth grade at Coleman while working on his Master’s degree. He was then made assistant principal at Coleman, then as principal at Edgewood Elementary, a position he held for 25 years prior to retiring in 2010.
In Mr. Bell’s own words, “the heart of education is teachers - administration is necessary. The principal is there to support the teachers, and that’s always what I tried to do”.Charles and his wife Fonda loved to travel. After retirement, they visited the Holy Land twice, went on two cruises to Alaska, the Panama Canal, and Hawaii. They also visited Greece and Italy, along with many places in the United States.
Charles was an active member of Olive Branch Missionary Baptist Church, where he sang in the choir and served on the personnel committee. For many years, he was president of the Open Door Sunday school class. He was also a Gideon.
He was a member of the Arkansas Education Association, the Arkansas Retired Teachers’ Association, and the Jefferson County Education Association. He also enjoyed deer hunting and was a member of Bell Hunting Club.
In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by a brother, Kenneth Bell.
Charles was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather to his wife of 52 years, Fonda Johnson Bell, whom he married on June 11, 1967; a daughter, Dr. Crystal Bell Norton and her husband Brad Norton of Bentonville; a grandson, Jackson Charles Norton of Bentonville; along with a host of loving family, former teachers, students, and friends.
Visitation will be Saturday, June 15, 2019, beginning at 12:00 Noon at Olive Branch Baptist Church. The funeral service will follow at 1:30 p.m. with Dr. Roger Stewart officiating. Interment will follow in Oakland Cemetery at Fordyce by Fuller Hale-South Funeral Services.
Memorials may be made to Olive Branch Baptist Church, 5130 Bobo Road, Pine Bluff, AR 71603.
Online condolences may be made at FullerFunerals.com
Contributed on 1/11/20 by debbraszymanski
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Record #: 1290036