John J. (Jack) Bell

Mechanicsville, VA - John J. (Jack) Bell, age 83, passed away at his home April 18, 2012. He was born in West Point, Ohio, to Violet Swanson Bell and James J. Bell, Sr., who preceded him in death along with sisters Helen Sankovich and Thelma McllDuff. Surviving are his sister Louise Ward and two brothers, James Bell, Jr. (wife, Dixie) and Raymond (Beau) Bell, all of Ohio, along with numerous nieces and nephews. He is survived by his wife of fifty-seven years, Wilma (Billie) Shaffer Bell, and their daughter, Margaret Victoria (Vicki) Fowler, son-in-law Mark T. Fowler, and beloved grandson Mark Alexander (Alex) Fowler.

Mr. Bell grew up in East Palestine, Ohio, where he was an athlete of considerable diversity. Though he was awarded a scholarship in basketball by a small college, he chose to go to Kent State University to play football. By his junior year, however, he switched to golf and played second man on the conference winning Kent State team, which was prelude to his becoming a professional golfer.

After a year of practice and studying the swings of Hogan and Snead, he headed west to play for the winter. In Arizona he finished second in the Western Amateur and subsequently was offered an assistant professional apprenticeship at North Shore Country Club in Chicago. Four years later he became head professional at River Forest Country Club and next served in the same position at the acclaimed Medinah Country Club. During the Chicago years he played professionally as well, winning the Illinois Open twice and playing in the National Open, the PGA, the Bing Crosby, and the Bob Hope Desert Classic, and at one time he held six course records in the Chicago area.

After several winters in Arizona as golf professional and investor in Tubac Country Club, he moved to California in 1968 to be the golf professional and, later, general manager of La Jolla Country Club. Subsequently he became Director of Golf at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia. In 1978 he bought Confederate Hills Golf Club in Highland Springs and developed it for twelve years, during which time he was recruited to coach the VCU golf team, an endeavor he found even more satisfying than his early career in competitive golf. He retired in 1998 after leading the team to five conference championships, establishing it as a nationally ranked team, and mentoring numerous young men into the golf industry.

Visitation for Mr. Bell will be held at Van Dyke-Swaney-Rettig Funeral Home, East Palestine, Ohio between 12 and 2 P.M. on Saturday, April 21, 2012. A service will follow in Glenview Cemetery Chapel at 2:30 P.M.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that those who wish to honor him make a donation to the Jack Bell Scholarship Fund, East Palestine Educational Scholarship Committee, 210 West North Ave., East Palestine, Ohio 44413.