George Fredrick always went by the name "Fred". He was the oldest of the eight children of Robert Egerton Bell and Ella May Bell (neé Spies). He grew up on the Bell family farm on Lot 16 in Peel Township, Ontario.
As a young man, Fred served in World War II as a lance-corporal with the Calgary Tank Regiment, Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (see his death notice, Legion Magazine - https://legionmagazine.com/en/last-post/?mode=entry&id=217551). He fought in Sicily, Italy, Belgium, France, and Holland. Having witnessed the horrors of war firsthand, he became a lifelong pacifist.
In 1951 he married Margaret E. Morrison (b. May 31, 1924; d. June 20, 2005) and moved to the village of Grand Valley, Ontario. They had five children (as their headstone notes): Don, Marilyn, Doug, Gary and Diane.
My uncle was a survivor of the Grand Valley tornado that struck on May 31, 1985. It devastated much of the village in less than a minute, killing two people. Fred was knocked unconscious when his house began to fall around him; when he came to, he found that the brick fireplace had collapsed next to him, missing his head by mere inches. Although the house was badly damaged, Fred felt lucky to have survived so close a call.
As a young man, Fred served in World War II as a lance-corporal with the Calgary Tank Regiment, Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (see his death notice, Legion Magazine - https://legionmagazine.com/en/last-post/?mode=entry&id=217551). He fought in Sicily, Italy, Belgium, France, and Holland. Having witnessed the horrors of war firsthand, he became a lifelong pacifist.
In 1951 he married Margaret E. Morrison (b. May 31, 1924; d. June 20, 2005) and moved to the village of Grand Valley, Ontario. They had five children (as their headstone notes): Don, Marilyn, Doug, Gary and Diane.
My uncle was a survivor of the Grand Valley tornado that struck on May 31, 1985. It devastated much of the village in less than a minute, killing two people. Fred was knocked unconscious when his house began to fall around him; when he came to, he found that the brick fireplace had collapsed next to him, missing his head by mere inches. Although the house was badly damaged, Fred felt lucky to have survived so close a call.
George Fredrick always went by the name "Fred". He was the oldest of the eight children of Robert Egerton Bell and Ella May Bell (neé Spies). He grew up on the Bell family farm on Lot 16 in Peel Township, Ontario.
As a young man, Fred served in World War II as a lance-corporal with the Calgary Tank Regiment, Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (see his death notice, Legion Magazine - https://legionmagazine.com/en/last-post/?mode=entry&id=217551). He fought in Sicily, Italy, Belgium, France, and Holland. Having witnessed the horrors of war firsthand, he became a lifelong pacifist.
In 1951 he married Margaret E. Morrison (b. May 31, 1924; d. June 20, 2005) and moved to the village of Grand Valley, Ontario. They had five children (as their headstone notes): Don, Marilyn, Doug, Gary and Diane.
My uncle was a survivor of the Grand Valley tornado that struck on May 31, 1985. It devastated much of the village in less than a minute, killing two people. Fred was knocked unconscious when his house began to fall around him; when he came to, he found that the brick fireplace had collapsed next to him, missing his head by mere inches. Although the house was badly damaged, Fred felt lucky to have survived so close a call.
As a young man, Fred served in World War II as a lance-corporal with the Calgary Tank Regiment, Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (see his death notice, Legion Magazine - https://legionmagazine.com/en/last-post/?mode=entry&id=217551). He fought in Sicily, Italy, Belgium, France, and Holland. Having witnessed the horrors of war firsthand, he became a lifelong pacifist.
In 1951 he married Margaret E. Morrison (b. May 31, 1924; d. June 20, 2005) and moved to the village of Grand Valley, Ontario. They had five children (as their headstone notes): Don, Marilyn, Doug, Gary and Diane.
My uncle was a survivor of the Grand Valley tornado that struck on May 31, 1985. It devastated much of the village in less than a minute, killing two people. Fred was knocked unconscious when his house began to fall around him; when he came to, he found that the brick fireplace had collapsed next to him, missing his head by mere inches. Although the house was badly damaged, Fred felt lucky to have survived so close a call.
Inscription
BELL
* * *
IN LOVING MEMORY OF
* * *
G. FREDRICK
BELL
MAY 16, 1920
NOV. 7, 1989
* * *
MARGARET
MORRISON
MAY 31, 1924
JUNE 12, 2005
* * *
PARENTS OF
RON - MARILYN - DOUG - GARY - DIANE
