TOPEKA — Stephen Wesley Bell, 62, died July 16 at Midland Hospice. Born Jan. 5, 1951, in Great Bend, he was the son of Elmer “Pete” and Bernice (Harding) Bell. He attended Great Bend High School and Fort Hays State University, graduating in 1973 with a degree in English.
He worked as a sports writer and editor for the Hays Daily News, the Colby Free Press, the Great Bend Tribune, and the Topeka Capital Journal.
Mr. Bell was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Topeka for many years and sang in the church choir. He served in the Kiwanis Club of Colby.
He is survived by his wife, Tonya Foster-Bell; one son, Shane Bell of Topeka; two brothers, Bill (Andrea) Packard of Wichita and Mike Packard of Winfield; two sisters, Mary (Steven) Brehm of Pratt and Bonnie (Monte) Hirsh of Kinsley; as well as several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 22, at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1275 SW Boswell Ave. in Topeka. Burial will take place at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Hillside Cemetery in Kinsley. Stephen will lie in state after 3 p.m. on Sunday at the funeral home, where the family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Shane A. Bell Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Silver Lake Bank, 2011 SW Gage Blvd., Topeka KS 66604. To leave a message for the family online, visit www.PenwellGabelTopeka.com.
 
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, July 19, 2013#