NORTH WEBSTER – Trueman Owen Bell Jr., 91, Pierceton, passed away at 12:55 a.m. Sept. 26, 2014, at Miller’s Merry Manor, Warsaw. He was born July 22, 1923, in Fort Wayne, to Trueman Owen Sr. and Lela Merle Barger Bell. He was married June 27, 1947, in Fort Wayne, to Mary Emma Jenkins, who preceded him in death Dec. 22, 2002, after 55 years of marriage. On May 21, 2005, in North Webster, he married Regina Louise “Jean” Sredinsky Friend, who survives in Pierceton. He graduated in 1941 from Ossian High School, was a U.S. Marine veteran and served during World War II and Korea. He retired in 1966 from the military as a gunnery sergeant after serving 22 years and received several Presidential Unit Citations during WWII. On May 29, 2013, he was taken to Washington, D.C., on the Honor Flight to see the WWII Monument. He formerly worked at General Electric, Fort Wayne and Elkhart General Hospital in the finance departments. He moved to Pierceton, Barbee Lake, from South Bend in 1990. He was a member of United Methodist Church, North Webster; American Legion Post #253, North Webster; Veterans of Foreign Warsaw Post #1342, Syracuse; a life member of Masonic Lodge, where he was a 32nd degree mason; Scottish Rite; Mizpah Shriners, Fort Wayne; and was a former member of Grace United Methodist Church, South Bend, and Lakeland Kiwanis, North Webster. Also surviving are a daughter, Cynthia Bell, Raleigh, N.C.; a stepdaughter, Carol (and spouse Mike) Brown, San Tan Valley, Ariz.; a stepson, Scott (and spouse Jeanette) Gray, McMurray, Pa.; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He also was preceded in death by his parents and a son, Larry Bell. Services will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at Owen Family Funeral Home, North Webster, with Pastor Bob Dailey officiating. Graveside services will be 11 a.m. Monday at Greenlawn Memorial Park, 6600 Covington Road, Fort Wayne. Military rites will follow by the Marines and North Webster American Legion. Calling is from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. ***** Memorials may be made to Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675. Condolences may be sent via owenfamilyfuneralhome.com
