[In Memoriam] William Douglas Bell, 76

The following obituary was published by Clements Funeral and Cremation Service:

William Douglas Bell died May 9, 2024, at Duke Regional Hospital in Durham. He was born in Durham, the son of the late William Earnest Bell and Hilda Douglas Bell. He was 76.

Known as Doug by most and “Papa” by his grandchildren, Bell was raised in Durham. He graduated from Northern Durham High School in 1966 and joined the U.S. Army. He served two tours in Vietnam as a preventive medicine specialist and received an honorable discharge. Bell joined the City of Durham Public Safety in 1972, where he served in dual roles as a firefighter and police officer. He became a fire engineer, responsible for driving a fire truck to the scene. He earned associate degrees in fire science and criminal justice. When Durham Public Safety split in 1985 into the fire department and police department, Bell opted to serve on the police department, primarily working in Police District 2. He was promoted to the rank of corporal and sergeant before he retired in 2002. During his time on the police department, he trained numerous new police officers as a field training officer and served as a squad supervisor. Bell was very proud of his service in the Army and especially the police department. After retiring from the police department, he worked at Durham Academy for 10 years as a security officer and retired a second and final time in 2017. Along with his sense of fulfillment and pride in serving his country and community, he most appreciated the camaraderie and friendships he forged.

Bell married the love of his life, Susan, in 1977. They lived in Durham and raised three children: Scott, Adam, and Laura. Bell and Susan moved to Mebane in 2018, where they enjoyed being part of the V05 community and closer to their youngest grandchildren. Bell was an avid reader and a fan of Duke basketball and football, as well as NASCAR. He enjoyed going to Durham Bulls baseball games, country music concerts, and comedy shows, especially those featuring comedian James Gregory. He was known to feed the neighborhood birds and deer, explored the mystery of Bigfoot, and appreciated good red wine. He loved spending time with his extended family and looked forward to the annual beach trips. He was known for his good sense of humor and rarely missed an opportunity for a good laugh.

Bell is survived by his wife, Susan Feudale Bell; sons, Scott Bell (Jennifer), Adam Bell (Ashleylayne); daughter, Laura Bell; grandchildren, Sarah Bell, Hannah Bell, Ireland Byrd, Stone Byrd, Bryson Holmes, Laney Holmes, Olive Bell, Isla Bell; brother, Sammy Bell (Lynn); sister, Susan Semes (Bobby); nephew, Chris Bell; and niece, Molly Semes; and his beloved dog, Betty.

A funeral service will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 12, at Clements Funeral Chapel in Durham. The family will receive friends from 1 to 2:30 p.m. before the service at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Pleasant Green United Methodist Church Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Pleasant Green United Methodist Church, 3005 Pleasant Green Road, Durham, N.C. 27705.