William Owen Bell

William Owen Bell, age 91, of Austin, Minnesota, passed away on Tuesday, December 26, 2023, at Good Samaritan Society - Comforcare in Austin. William was born August 3, 1932, to Harry and Hazel (DeLaney) Bell in Mona, Iowa. He graduated from Lyle High School in 1950. Following graduation, he served in the Army from 1953-1955 and was drafted into the 82nd Airborne. Bill married his high school sweetheart, Mavis Foss, on April 5, 1952. They lived in Lyle and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. After his honorable discharge from the military the couple returned to Lyle in 1955. They lived in Lyle until 1994 and then moved to Austin where they presently reside. Bill worked at Hormel from 1950-1996; this was the only place he was ever employed. He was a member of Bethel Alliance Church in Lyle, Grace Baptist, and attended Crane Chapel in Austin. Bill was a proud member of the American Legion and a forever member of the 82nd Airborne. He was also active on the Lyle School Board, Woodbury Cemetery Board, Lyle City Council, and was a volunteer firefighter for the Lyle Fire Department. Bill loved his Lord.

Bill loved to watch his kids and grandkids play sports and always traveled everywhere to watch them. He loved traveling to Tulsa, Oklahoma to vacation with his Army buddy, Robert Jarrett, and family. They remained close friends until the end. He enjoyed (most of the time) watching the Twins and Vikings. Bill also enjoyed fishing, hunting, watching Westerns, and traveling. His highlight was their trip to Paris and the Netherlands. It was there he got to meet Harriett and Albert Schaart-Dautzenberg, who take care of Bill’s brother’s grave in the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, Netherlands. Bill was able to take a trip on the Freedom Flight to Washington, D.C. He also liked driving used cars for several dealerships in Austin.

Bill is survived by his wife of 71 years, Mavis Bell of Austin; daughter, Pam (Mike) Selmecki of Austin; son, Greg (Sandra) Bell of Austin; grandchildren, Jeremy (Jonnelle) Bell of Woodbury, MN, Asham Bell of White Bear Lake, MN, Heather Wagner of Austin, Sean Selmecki of Austin, and Jordan Bell of Austin; great-grandchildren, Landon and Taylor Bell of Woodbury, Ryder Selmecki of Austin, and Paisley and Grayson Wagner of Austin; special niece, Lynda Bell Little; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harry and Hazel Bell; brothers, Marion and Verne Bell; sister, Virginia Bell Weiss; sisters-in-law, Mary Bell, Ethyl Bell, and Marilyn Matter; brothers-in-law, George Weiss and David Matter; father and mother-in-law, Mel and Evelyn Foss.

Bill’s family would like to thank all the nurses, doctors, medical staff, and hospice care at Mayo Clinic Hospitals in Austin and Rochester. A special thank you to the nurses, CNAs, and medical staff at Comforcare.