Earl W. Bell

Earl William Bell, 96, of Acton, died March 19 at the Newton Center in Sanford after a brief illness.Born April 1, 1917 in Amsterdam, NY, Earl attended 5th Ward School and Amsterdam High School, the latter being during the depression. He talked about having to put cardboard in his shoes to cover the holes. After graduation he managed to get a job at Mohawk Carpet Mills and worked there until he was drafted into the Army.Basic training was at Camp Polk, and then to Fort Knox. He participated in an experiment to see how hot temperatures soldiers could endure. He served in the China, Burma, India Theater during World War II; he is very proud of being a WWII veteran and part of "the Greatest Generation." After his service, he went to school on Long Island to become an Arborist.He worked in that field for the Bartlett Tree Service, until he fell and severely broke his arm. Earl worked for General Electric in Schenectady until a prolonged strike. He switched to working as a stonemason for a period of time and eventually returned to GE where he retired at the age of 62. Upon retirement he and his wife Connie moved to Florida, and came north summers to visit here in Maine. Earl had always been an avid gardener and helped work in the Acton garden. He has been living here in Acton with Joan and Richard Nass since the death of his wife.Earl actively exercised each day walking lengths of the barn and along the road. He participated at the Y in Senior Sneakers before coming north.Recently Pop, as he was known to all his new friends, laid the wreath for the Army at the Wreaths Across America ceremony at the Southern Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Springvale. He said that was the greatest honor of his life. He was the recipient of the Post Boston Cane this past year.A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, April 1 at 10:00 AM at the Notre Dame Church of St. Therese of Lisieux Parish, 10 Payne Street, Springvale. Burial will be in St. Casimir Cemetery in Amersterdam, NY.Black Funeral Homes & Cremation Service of Sanford-Springvale is assisting the family with arrangements. Condolences can be expressed at the Condolences tab at left.