Donald W. Bell

Mr. Donald Wilford Bell, 82, longtime Walkersville farmer, died peacefully Thursday, April 28, 2016 at Frederick Memorial Hospital following complications from a stroke. He was the husband of the late Carolyn Burdette Bell, who predeceased him on July 17, 2005.

Born March 17, 1934 in Frederick, he was the son of the late William Wesley and Mary Ellen (Hahn) Bell.

Don was raised in the Damascus area, where he and his brother, John (Jack), began their early careers in farming. They farmed several different locations while attending high school. They would milk cows in the morning, go to school, attend sports practice, and return home for the evening milking. For many years, they assisted their mother at the Montgomery County Farm Women’s Cooperative Market in Bethesda.

He graduated from Damascus High School in 1953, where he was senior class president and a star athlete playing basketball and baseball.  He married his high school sweetheart, Carolyn Burdette, on January 28, 1955 and they moved to Germantown.

Don and John began farming in 1959 at the home farm in Ceresville belonging to their uncle, Walter J. Hahn, owner of Monocacy Ayr Farm. Together, the Bell Brothers raised their families, milked 200 head of Holsteins, and crop farmed additional acreage in the Walkersville, Frederick and Thurmont areas.

Upon dispersal of the dairy herd in 1996, Don began working for Mehrle Ramsburg at Brookfield Farms, and later for the farm’s pumpkin patch. He loved taking his great-grandchildren for tractor rides out to the field to pick pumpkins.

Don looked forward to attending the Great Frederick Fair each year and was a life member of the Frederick County Agricultural Society, Inc. He also was a member of the Frederick County Farm Bureau.

Above all else, family was the most important thing to Don. He enjoyed spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was their #1 fan at all sporting events.

Don is survived by his children, Michael D. Bell and wife, Susan, of Detour; Gary W. Bell and wife, Marcia, of Lewistown; and Patti L. Wood and husband, George, of Woodsboro, with whom he resided; nine grandchildren, Cory Bell and wife, Kristen; Stacy Beall and husband, Kevin; Leslie Denn and husband, Josh; Lindsey Rippeon and husband, Nick; Kylie Bell and boyfriend, Conway Parrish; Megan Wood; Shaun Wood; Gregory Lambert and wife, Paula; and Katharyn Rentzell and husband, Chip; 16 great-grandchildren, Braden, Jacob and Brody Bell; Landon, Carter, Jase and Danielle Beall; Gabriel and Piper Denn; Paisley and Savannah Rippeon; Garrett, Nathaniel and Cody Rentzell; and Sarah and Austin Lambert.

Also surviving are his brother, John W. Bell and wife, Carol, of Frederick; two sisters, Delores Neal of Damascus; and Rosalyn  Bowman of Damascus; a sister-in-law, Rosalie Rittase and husband, Bill, of Littlestown, PA; and a host of cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by a sister, Ruth Ellen Hruska and husband, Ken; brother, Richard G. Hines, and wife, Bev; and brothers-in-law, LaVerne Neal and James Bowman.

He also will be remembered by his many good friends.

The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 1, 2016 at Stauffer Funeral Home, 1621 Opossumtown Pike, Frederick. Funeral services will begin at 11 a.m. on Monday, May 2 from Graceham Moravian Church, 8231 Rocky Ridge Road, Thurmont with Pastor Sue Koenig officiating.

Interment will follow in Resthaven Memorial Gardens, where he will be laid to rest next to his wife. Serving as pall bearers will be his grandsons and grandsons-in-law.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Catoctin Youth Athletics, (CYA), P.O. Box 365, Thurmont, MD 21788; Maryland Destination Imagination, Inc. (checks payable to MCPSI), P.O. Box 9852, Baltimore, MD 21284; or to Walkersville Southern Railroad, P.O. Box 651, Walkersville, MD 21793.

Expressions of sympathy may be shared with the family at www.staufferfuneralhome.com.