Loren Oliver Bell died Friday, July 24, 2015. He was born in Grinnell Dec. 8, 1933, the son of Clarence Virgil Bell and Helen Mae Pearce Bell. Loren was raised in Malcom and graduated from Grinnell High School in 1951. In 1953, he enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he reached the rank of staff sergeant. After his time in the Air Force, Loren began his 28-year career with the Hughes Aircraft Company as a quality engineer. Following his retirement from Hughes Aircraft in 1989, he began buying and managing property rentals. Loren subsequently started his final career with J.B. Hunt Transportation in the early 1990s as a truck driver and retired in 2002.
Throughout his life, Loren took an interest in many hobbies, including traveling, fixing cars, boating and flying, and received a private pilot license in flying. He also enjoyed listening to jazz music, watching football, baseball and motorcycle and car racing.
Loren is survived by his brother, Larry Bell; his four children, Rebecca Shepard, Jana Benton, Rita Haerr and Andrew Bell; 10 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Gerald, Donald and Howard Bell; and his son, Greg Bell.