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Thomas Bell
Born: 7/1/1936
Died: 2/5/2026
Age: 89
Community: West Branch, formerly of Goodrich, MI
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Thomas Edwin Bell, 89, of West Branch, MI, and formerly of Goodrich, MI, passed away peacefully at his home on Thursday, February 5, 2026, his wife, Janet, and daughter, Kimberly, by his side.
He was born in Hillman, MI, the son of William Preston Bell and Elsie (Oming) Bell.
In 1957 he was introduced to Janet Hubble by her sister, Juanita. They were married on April 11, 1959, at the Methodist Church in Goodrich. They lived in Goodrich for 44 years before moving to Fresno, CA, in 2003, where their daughter, Kimberly, and her husband, Mike, lived. After 11 years in California, traveling back and forth from Fresno to their summer home in Hillman, they moved to West Branch, followed by Kimberly and Mike. He lived in West Branch for 11 years, making new friends.
Tom grew up in Hillman on his parents' beef cattle farm, where he learned that hard work was very necessary. He attended a one-room schoolhouse with his brothers and sister. Attended Hillman High School for one year. He worked at Sanborn’s Maple Syrup in the spring, helped plant strawberry plants for a neighbor, helped neighbors bale hay, fill silos, and harvest corn. He was a good and willing worker. His dad gave him a steer to raise, which he sold at an auction where his dad worked as a clerk. In 1953, at age 17, he and a friend decided to hire in at the Buick Plant in Flint, MI. He worked there for 2 years and also at a print shop near the plant. His friend went back to Hillman after a short time. Tom continued working at the print shop for 2 years after quitting Buick to work full-time as a printer. When he turned 18, he bought a car and rented a room in Davison. He and Janet dated for 2 years before marrying in 1959. In 1962, he learned there was a need for truck drivers to help build the continuation of I-75 from Grayling to Gaylord, MI. He bought a new dump truck and hauled gravel for a short time. With that experience, he bought a tractor-trailer and worked for Mayflower Van Lines, moving families’ household goods to their new locations. In 1963, he gave up trucking to work at the Sunoco gas station in Goodrich, eventually owning and operating it for 9 years. In 1973, he opened and operated Bell Auto Parts in Goodrich, later moving the business to Ortonville, where he bought a building and sold auto parts for another 22 years. He and Janet retired in 2000. After a year, Tom couldn’t take retirement, so he took a job at Walmart in the Tire and Lube Express department. He was there for 1.5 years before moving to Fresno, CA. He and Janet moved to West Branch, MI in 2014.
Tom is survived by his wife, Janet (Hubble) Bell; Daughter: Kimberly (Michael) Toepfer of Whittemore, MI; Nieces: Ruth (Michael) Doyle of Tawas, MI, Susan (Todd) Morrison of Youngstown, OH, Angela (Junior) Hollister, Lora White, Vera (Bud) Wilson, Karri (Miles) Gadola; Nephews: Bradley (Patti) Petitt, Jim (Nancy) Reid, Caleb (Gina) Rasak, and Casey (Hayley) Rasak, Johnny Reeves; Sisters-in-Law: Barbara Petitt, Bonnie Ferguson, Sue Brownson, and Dawn (Charles) Rasak.
He was preceded in death by his parents: William Preston Bell and Elsie (Oming) Bell; Son: Scott A. Bell; Brothers: James (Louise) Bell, John Bell, Donald Bell, Allen (Nancy) Bell; Sister: Betty (Mack) Gamage; Sister-in-Law: Juanita (Eggleston) Pearman; Niece: Candy Reeves. Nephews: Leslie Petitt, Billy Reid, Michael Brownson
Visitation will be held at Steuernol & McLaren Funeral Home in West Branch on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Visitation will also be held at Village Funeral Home, 135 South St., Ortonville, MI 48462, on Thursday, February 12, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to the time of the funeral service at 1:00 p.m. Pastor Autumn Howard will officiate. Burial will follow at Ortonville Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Heartland Hospice. |
Copyright © 2026 Direct Obits, LLC
| Visitation |
| Date: |
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2/10/2026 |
| Time: |
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11:00 AM |
Visitation will be held at Steuernol & McLaren Funeral Home in West Branch on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Visitation will also be held Village Funeral Home 135 South St. Ortonville, MI 48462 on Thursday, February 12, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to the time of the funeral service at 1:00 p.m. |
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| Funeral Service |
| Date: |
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2/12/2026 |
| Time: |
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1:00 PM |
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| Location: |
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Village Funeral Home
135 South St.
Ortonville, MI 48462Get a Map to this location...
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| Official: |
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Pastor Autumn Howard |
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