Austin Bell's Obituary
Austin H. Bell, Jr., peacefully passed away on November 4, 2024, in Longview, Texas, at the age of ninety-one. He was born on July 28,1933 in Nashville, Tennessee to Dr. Austin H. Bell and Lucille “Lucy” Boylan Bell.
Austin lived a rich and extraordinary life. Growing up in Oklahoma amid the Great Depression and World War II, Austin was the oldest of his siblings, Charles Douglas Bell, and David William Bell and Martha Ann Bell Puryear. It was here he developed his fandom for the University of Oklahoma Sooners football program in part from his parents. Although he never played the sport itself, it was the sport of basketball that gave him the discipline and dedication he applied to everything he pursued in life.
Pursuing his dreams, the young man attended and graduated from the University of Oklahoma (Class of 1955) with studies in finance and business. It was there that Austin met the love of his life, Barbara Allen Hall. The couple married within a year of their graduation. Soon after, they were blessed with three children, Deborah Allen Bell Willis (m. to Hamilton Willis of St. Francisville, LA), Marylu Bell Kilpatrick (m. to Lester Kilpatrick of Longview, TX), and Austin H. Bell III of Longview, TX.
At the age of twenty-five, Austin followed his ambitions and went to work for Proctor and Gamble. After many years and moves across the continental United States, he settled the family in Little Rock, AR. An entrepreneur in mind and heart, he went to work for The Willis Johnson Company in the 1970’s. Through strong discipline and dedication, Austin and his business partner, Peter Powell, transformed the food brokerage firm into a successful and competitive international company under the name Sales Mark.
Austin not only successfully provided for his family, but he also enriched the lives of others for decades. His retirement ignited another passion, his embracement of the role of “Grandaddy Austin” to his seven grandchildren and eighteen great grandchildren. A testament of love woven into what we call FAMILY. His greatest joy was not only spending time with family but creating a legacy of Oklahoma Sooners football fans among the generations.
Austin Bell, a man of strength, honesty, integrity, and an extraordinary gentleman, made the world around him a better place for ALL fortunate enough to know him.
Celebration of Life services will be held with the family on Saturday, November 9, 2024 at the Rosewood Park Mausoleum Chapel.
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