STERLING, Colo. • After a 7½ year battle with cancer, Donald LeRoy “Roy” Bell passed away Tuesday, May 20, 2014, in Sterling, Colo., with his family by his side. No service will be held.
Roy was born Aug. 5, 1939, in Twin Falls, Idaho, to Donald Harrison and Reda Christina Duff Bell. After a short stint in the U.S. Army, he moved from Twin Falls to a career in music. He was a professional musician for more than 56 years. Roy Bell and the Bel-Tones entertained with many of the big names in country music, including Ray Price, Dave Dudley and Tanya Tucker. He spent the next 14 years traveling on the road with a home base in California. He then returned to Idaho for a few short years. In 1980, he and LeeAnn formed the band, “Sloe Ginn.” In 1983, they were hired to play in Sterling at Shads for one week during the fair. Over the next 30 years, they called Sterling their home. They worked all of N.E. Colorado and also went back on the road for a few years.
He is survived by his wife of 35 years, LeeAnn Hjelm of Sterling; sons, Donald Lee Bell and wife Karen of Oakton, Va., Jason Hjelm and wife Gidget of Humphrey, Neb., and Justin Hjelm and wife Christie of Foster City, Calif.; daughters, Christina Dowty and husband Joel of Elverta, Calif., and Janice Schneider and husband Jimmy of Sterling, Colo.; sisters, Debbie Boyer and husband Ray and Gwen Jones, all of Caldwell, Idaho; little sister, Marie Axtell; mother-in-law, Leona Wray of Blackfoot, Idaho; brother-in-law, Tom Wray of Twin Falls, Idaho; 17 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; numerous cousins; and special aunt,Deenie of Salt Lake City, Utah. He was preceded in death by father-in-law, Leon Wray; pops, Marvin Arnold; grandparents; parents; aunts and uncles; and best friend, Dale Axtell.
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Roy Bell Memorial in care of Chaney-Reager Funeral home in Sterling, Colo.
Roy was born Aug. 5, 1939, in Twin Falls, Idaho, to Donald Harrison and Reda Christina Duff Bell. After a short stint in the U.S. Army, he moved from Twin Falls to a career in music. He was a professional musician for more than 56 years. Roy Bell and the Bel-Tones entertained with many of the big names in country music, including Ray Price, Dave Dudley and Tanya Tucker. He spent the next 14 years traveling on the road with a home base in California. He then returned to Idaho for a few short years. In 1980, he and LeeAnn formed the band, “Sloe Ginn.” In 1983, they were hired to play in Sterling at Shads for one week during the fair. Over the next 30 years, they called Sterling their home. They worked all of N.E. Colorado and also went back on the road for a few years.
He is survived by his wife of 35 years, LeeAnn Hjelm of Sterling; sons, Donald Lee Bell and wife Karen of Oakton, Va., Jason Hjelm and wife Gidget of Humphrey, Neb., and Justin Hjelm and wife Christie of Foster City, Calif.; daughters, Christina Dowty and husband Joel of Elverta, Calif., and Janice Schneider and husband Jimmy of Sterling, Colo.; sisters, Debbie Boyer and husband Ray and Gwen Jones, all of Caldwell, Idaho; little sister, Marie Axtell; mother-in-law, Leona Wray of Blackfoot, Idaho; brother-in-law, Tom Wray of Twin Falls, Idaho; 17 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; numerous cousins; and special aunt,Deenie of Salt Lake City, Utah. He was preceded in death by father-in-law, Leon Wray; pops, Marvin Arnold; grandparents; parents; aunts and uncles; and best friend, Dale Axtell.
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Roy Bell Memorial in care of Chaney-Reager Funeral home in Sterling, Colo.
STERLING, Colo. • After a 7½ year battle with cancer, Donald LeRoy “Roy” Bell passed away Tuesday, May 20, 2014, in Sterling, Colo., with his family by his side. No service will be held.
Roy was born Aug. 5, 1939, in Twin Falls, Idaho, to Donald Harrison and Reda Christina Duff Bell. After a short stint in the U.S. Army, he moved from Twin Falls to a career in music. He was a professional musician for more than 56 years. Roy Bell and the Bel-Tones entertained with many of the big names in country music, including Ray Price, Dave Dudley and Tanya Tucker. He spent the next 14 years traveling on the road with a home base in California. He then returned to Idaho for a few short years. In 1980, he and LeeAnn formed the band, “Sloe Ginn.” In 1983, they were hired to play in Sterling at Shads for one week during the fair. Over the next 30 years, they called Sterling their home. They worked all of N.E. Colorado and also went back on the road for a few years.
He is survived by his wife of 35 years, LeeAnn Hjelm of Sterling; sons, Donald Lee Bell and wife Karen of Oakton, Va., Jason Hjelm and wife Gidget of Humphrey, Neb., and Justin Hjelm and wife Christie of Foster City, Calif.; daughters, Christina Dowty and husband Joel of Elverta, Calif., and Janice Schneider and husband Jimmy of Sterling, Colo.; sisters, Debbie Boyer and husband Ray and Gwen Jones, all of Caldwell, Idaho; little sister, Marie Axtell; mother-in-law, Leona Wray of Blackfoot, Idaho; brother-in-law, Tom Wray of Twin Falls, Idaho; 17 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; numerous cousins; and special aunt,Deenie of Salt Lake City, Utah. He was preceded in death by father-in-law, Leon Wray; pops, Marvin Arnold; grandparents; parents; aunts and uncles; and best friend, Dale Axtell.
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Roy Bell Memorial in care of Chaney-Reager Funeral home in Sterling, Colo.
Roy was born Aug. 5, 1939, in Twin Falls, Idaho, to Donald Harrison and Reda Christina Duff Bell. After a short stint in the U.S. Army, he moved from Twin Falls to a career in music. He was a professional musician for more than 56 years. Roy Bell and the Bel-Tones entertained with many of the big names in country music, including Ray Price, Dave Dudley and Tanya Tucker. He spent the next 14 years traveling on the road with a home base in California. He then returned to Idaho for a few short years. In 1980, he and LeeAnn formed the band, “Sloe Ginn.” In 1983, they were hired to play in Sterling at Shads for one week during the fair. Over the next 30 years, they called Sterling their home. They worked all of N.E. Colorado and also went back on the road for a few years.
He is survived by his wife of 35 years, LeeAnn Hjelm of Sterling; sons, Donald Lee Bell and wife Karen of Oakton, Va., Jason Hjelm and wife Gidget of Humphrey, Neb., and Justin Hjelm and wife Christie of Foster City, Calif.; daughters, Christina Dowty and husband Joel of Elverta, Calif., and Janice Schneider and husband Jimmy of Sterling, Colo.; sisters, Debbie Boyer and husband Ray and Gwen Jones, all of Caldwell, Idaho; little sister, Marie Axtell; mother-in-law, Leona Wray of Blackfoot, Idaho; brother-in-law, Tom Wray of Twin Falls, Idaho; 17 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; numerous cousins; and special aunt,Deenie of Salt Lake City, Utah. He was preceded in death by father-in-law, Leon Wray; pops, Marvin Arnold; grandparents; parents; aunts and uncles; and best friend, Dale Axtell.
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Roy Bell Memorial in care of Chaney-Reager Funeral home in Sterling, Colo.
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