Richard L. Bell passed away Wednesday, November 25, 2020 at UC Health in Greeley, CO with his family by his side. A memorial service will be held Friday, December 4 at 10:00 a.m. at the Bates-Gould Chapel in Alliance with a private family burial in the Nebraska Veterans Cemetery at Alliance. Masks will be required.
Memorials may be given to the Alliance Rifle Club, Dobby’s Frontier Town or the donor’s choice and may be sent to the family at 2912 Lakefield Drive in Alliance.
Rich was born May 12, 1947 in Columbus, NE to Ira (Ike) and Dorothy (Novicki) Bell. He graduated from Columbus High School in 1965. He enlisted in the United States Navy on December 30, 1965 and was honorably discharged in 1970.
He was united in marriage to Kathryn Egger on May 18, 1968. They welcomed three children to their family: Tracy, Trista and Richard Lee.
Rich worked hard to provide for his family beginning at D&L Manufacturing in Columbus, NE while assisting his father in law with small concrete jobs and tree trimming. In 1979 he moved his young family to Alliance to assume a position with the Burlington Northern Railroad as a brakeman. He was promoted to a conductor and finally to locomotive engineer. He retired from the railroad in 2009 after serving for 30 years.
Life on the railroad is unpredictable, but Rich was first and foremost a family man. This often meant juggling his trips on the train with basketball, volleyball, track, golf, vocal, band and dance events involving his daughters and granddaughters. Family trips were many times a last minute event which taught his girls that not everything in life has to be planned to be enjoyed. He was an avid hunter, fisherman, gun collector and car enthusiast, sharing those passions with his entire family.
Rich was the consummate fix it man. If something needed to be repaired, installed or replaced, he was your guy. After retirement, he put those skills to work volunteering at Dobby’s Frontier Town, RSVP, Mission Store and the Eagles Club. He was an exemplary example of sharing the gifts you have with those who need help without wanting anything in return.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years Kathy, daughters Tracy (Kurt) Lambert of Alliance; Trista (Steve) Hopp of Columbus, NE and his beloved granddaughters, Taylor and Jordan Hopp and Regan and Kayel Lambert. He is also survived by his brother Robert Bell and sister Vicki Arndt; nieces Heather Siemek and Amy Nelson all of Columbus, NE. He was preceded in death by his parents, infant son and numerous aunts and uncles.