Obituary of Clinton Harvey Bell

Clinton Harvey Bell, Jr., 84, died February 18, 2013 in Santa Cruz, Calif. after a long illness. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 1:00pm on Saturday, March 2nd at St. Stephen's Lutheran Church (2500 Soquel Ave in Santa Cruz). Reception to follow at Montevalle (552 Bean Creek Road in Scotts Valley). Clint was born May 9, 1928 in San Francisco, Calif. to Clinton and Emma (Stute) Bell. He was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in San Francisco where his family were active members. He attended Balboa High School, SF, graduating early and continuing his education at University of CA at Berkeley. In 1948 he married Bonnie Jean LeRud and started to build a family with their first child born in 1950. Clint and Bonnie raised their five children in San Anselmo in a beautiful home that Clint and his father built together. A kind, loyal, and tender-hearted man, Clint was all about building and growing. He joined his father's construction company, Bell Construction, in 1947. Clint injured his back in 1954 and went into insurance sales for Lutheran Brotherhood where he excelled. However, at heart he was always a builder and later went back to Bell Construction continuing until his retirement. A lifelong member of the Lutheran faith Clint was active in growing the church and was instrumental in numerous building projects, connecting people to Christ and chartering Christ the Victor in Fairfax and Light of Life in Scotts Valley, CA. He was a living example of Mark 12:30 "...Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength...and love your neighbor as yourself." Each day he and Bonnie enjoyed devotions, reading God's Word and praying. Clint loved being in the yard, doing projects and growing the most amazing flowers (you should see the begonias!). He was an avid fan of the beloved Seals, winning Giants and 49ers. He is survived by and will be dearly missed by his wife of 64 years Bonnie Jean; children Becca (Rob) Moeller, Gracia (Jerome) Williams, Rolf Bell (Laura Cohen), Cheri (Michael) Houts, and Kurt Bell; 11 grandchildren Siri (Billy) Rodoni, Rachel (Brian) Olin, Sina Williams, Chelsea Torgersen-Bell (Neal Gordon), Jason (Jandee) Williams, Jules Houts, Danny Houts, Brian Houts, Luke Bell, Olivia Bell-Cohen, and Erika Bell; and 5 great-grandchildren Andreina Rodoni, Isabella Rodoni, Emily Olin, Fordd Gordon and Charley Rose Gordon. He was preceded in death by his sister, Dorothy Bell, and grandsons Gabriel Moeller and Eric Houts. Donations may be made to: St. Stephen Lutheran Church, 2500 Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95062