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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A life made rich through meaningful service drew to |
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a close with the passing of the Reverend Lonnie Charles Bell Sr. of |
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Pittsburg on May 4, 2015, at the age of 98; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Johnny Floyd Bell and Bessie Hill Bell, |
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Lonnie Bell was born in Mount Vernon on June 13, 1916; he moved to |
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Mount Pleasant in the 1920s, and he graduated from Booker |
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T. Washington High School; at an early age, he joined the church, |
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and he served in several capacities before accepting his call to the |
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ministry; and |
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WHEREAS, Reverend Bell was a loyal member of the East Texas |
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Annual Conference, and over the course of 65 years, he pastored more |
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than 30 churches, providing spiritual guidance and kind assistance |
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to innumerable people; he was also employed at Red River Army Depot |
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for 30 years before his retirement; Reverend Bell was predeceased |
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by his first wife, Essie Lee Hooks Bell, and by two of his |
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daughters, Elizabeth "Cat" Johnson and Willie F. Warren; and |
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WHEREAS, While the death of Lonnie Bell brings great sorrow |
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to his loved ones, they may find solace in memories of his faith and |
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devotion, and he will forever hold a special place in their hearts; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of the Reverend Lonnie |
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Charles Bell Sr. and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his |
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family: to his wife, Alberta Crump Bell; to his sons, the Reverend |
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Lonnie Charles Bell Jr. and his wife, Nellie, the Reverend Johnny |
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Floyd Bell and his wife, Cencil, and Marvin Joe Reynolds; to his |
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daughters, Barbara Jackson and Dorothy Nixon; to his 28 |
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grandchildren, 44 great-grandchildren, and 18 |
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great-great-grandchildren; and to his many other relatives and |
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friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of the |
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Reverend Lonnie Charles Bell Sr. |