David Bell

David Bell, 79, of Sheridan, Wyo., died Friday, Sept. 5, 2014, in Billings, Mont.

He was born May 31, 1935, in Malta, Mont., to Hazel Harden and Tennial Miles Bell. He attended first and second grade in Medical Lake, Wash., and grades three to 12 in Glasgow. At 15, he became an amateur radio member (HAM) and then taught his mother to be a Ham Radio operator. They enjoyed this hobby for many years.

At 17, he joined the Naval Reserve. On Jan. 5, 1957, he married Myrna Lou Wesen in Glasgow, and they moved to Pipestone, Minn. The two were there for six months and then moved to Williston, ND. On June 30, 1957, David attended Ogden School of Electronics in California where he earned his first class engineers license. After obtaining his engineers license, he worked for KEYZ radio station in Williston, ND.

At 22, he left the Naval Reserve and joined the Army National Guard. In 1961, he went to work for Montana Dakota Utilities and moved to Bismarck, ND. He was in Bismarck for a short period before his National Guard Unit was activated and transferred to Ft. Riley, Kan. For the next seven months he worked for Atomic Demolitions. Upon leaving the Army, he moved back to Williston to work again with MDU.

In 1963, he was transferred to Worland, Wyo. While there, he served three years on the City Council, assisted in the radio station, KWOR, and enjoyed hunting and fishing. He remained in Worland until being transferred to Sheridan, Wyo., in 1988. He retired from MDU in 1994. After retirement, he and his wife became Snow Birds, spending winters on the west coast, Arizona and Texas.

Survivors include his wife, Myrna Bell; four children: Barbara Barthel of Sheridan, Cindy Hackett and her husband, Robert, of Canton, S.D., Michael Bell and his wife, Amber, of Cheyenne, Wyo., and Jeffery Bell and his wife, Jackie, of Billings; one brother, Walter Bell, of Glasgow; one sister, Beth McNeilly, of Dickinson, ND, his grandchildren: Amanda, Ashley, Ethan, and Megan, and several nieces and nephews.

Memorial services were at 11 a.m., on Wednesday, Sept. 10, from Trinity Lutheran Church with Pastor Phil Wold officiating. Inurnment was in the Church columbarium. Arrangements are with Champion Ferries Funeral Home.

Memorials may benefit Trinity Lutheran Church.