Obituary of Michael Bell

Harold Michael Bell, age 70, of Independence, KY, passed away on March 7, 2025. Mike was born June 6, 1954, into a military family in a small town in south Texas, called Harlingen. He was the son of Harold Lee Bell and Ellen (Presley) Bell.

Mike joined the Army at the end of the VietNam war in 1972 and was stationed in Germany. He drove semi trucks for the army and helped evacuate our soldiers from VietNam. He was also stationed in the Netherlands and remained in the Army Reserves for an additional five years. He graduated high school at an American Army base in Mannheim, Germany, and completed his AA degree in Criminal Justice at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne, WY, several years later.

Mike married Kathleen Shannon on March 17, 1978, in Cheyenne, WY as they had traveled from South Dade, Florida, out to Denver and eventually settled in Cheyenne. In Cheyenne they both worked as foster parents at a co-ed group foster home called the Attention Home providing care and support to many, many troubled teenagers. In 1982 they returned to their home base in Volusia County, Deland, Florida, and spent a good 30 years in that community until Mike retired in 2003.

Mike retired from the State of Florida Department of Corrections as a Captain at Tomoka Correctional Institution in Daytona Beach. He was a NRA instructor, member of the state and county SWAT teams and was in charge of a bloodhound unit that captured escaped prisoners. He was a lead captain in the State of Florida Department of Corrections Olympics for five years, earning many bronze and silver medals in Volleyball.

His many hobbies included fishing every single lake in the Volusia County area, and participating in many fishing tournaments. He knew every inch of the St. Johns river near Deland, FL. He spent many, many hours shrimping and digging for oysters in New Smyrna Beach, FL. Mike loved camping and had his share of motorhomes and campers and that became the best family vacation each year in the Smoky Mountains, his favorite place. Mike picked up golf clubs and never looked back. He was a natural and could be seen with his fellow officers early in the morning at local golf courses. He was a dog lover and shared his heart with many animals but Jimmy was his beloved chocolate Lab and his favorite pet.

Remaining to cherish Mike’s memory are his wife of 47 years, Kathleen Bell; his mother Ellen Bell and two sisters Terry Presley of northern Mississippi and sister Sharon Carpenter from Homestead, Florida. He was son- in- law to Kathleen Shannon of Orlando; brother- in- law to Diane and Larry Mancini, Laura Shannon, Mike and Cindy Shannon and Tim and Mia Shannon -- not to mention Uncle Mike to dozens of nieces and nephews. They will all share many fond memories!