Fred L. Bell passed away peacefully on May 28, 2024 at his home in Jefferson City, Montana. He was born on June 1, 1934 in Helena to Ida and Fred W. Bell of Jefferson City.
He lived the majority of his life in Jefferson County. The first two years were in Jefferson City, then the family moved to Elkhorn for the next three years. Since Elkhorn did not have a school, they packed up and moved back to Jefferson City. Fred attended the Jefferson City School through fifth grade when the school closed, and the family packed up again and moved to Boulder where he graduated grade school and high school.
Fred loved all sports, participating in many and establishing basketball school records and later playing in town basketball and baseball teams. At one Jefferson County High School basketball game, Fred fell in love with a cheerleader, Cleone Anderson. They were married on Sept. 5, 1954 in the high school gymnasium, and they started their family the following year, eventually welcoming Thomas, Bruce, Candice, Scott and Cristie. Family was always a priority to them.
Fred and Cleone lived in Bozeman for two years, while Fred was attending Montana State College. They owned and operated the Boulder Fountain from 1958 to 1962. After the Fountain, Fred was a teacher at the Boulder River School & Hospital, drove a school bus, worked many other jobs in Boulder and juggled five children. He started teaching math and science and coaching basketball and baseball at East Helena until his retirement. In all, he taught school for over 25 years — but he never stopped trying to teach and coach!
Fred always dreamed of owning and operating a big ranch, but he had to settle for five children and 40 cows! As a child, he worked on the McGowan ranch near Boulder, and for his uncle on Snowshoe Creek where he operated haying equipment drawn by draft horses. He also worked with his cousin Sonny on the Madison ranch in Jefferson City. He was a lifelong lover of animals, especially dogs and horses.
Fred was very involved in Boulder, helping to establish Little League baseball and youth basketball; serving as a Councilman; as a member of the Jefferson High Booster Club; and the Jaycees; and volunteering his spare time. His mind was an encyclopedia about the history of the areaand its families (in both Boulder and East Helena), and as long as he had a captive audience he’d talk! His favorite audience was at T’ings Happen, the bar in Jefferson City that he owned and operated from 2013 to 2022.
Friends and family will miss Fred’s big heart and his love of all kids. He said many times, “Kids are the name of the game,” and he called his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren “a present.”
Fred was preceded in death by his wife Cleone; his parents Ida and Fred; his son Tom and daughter Cris; a granddaughter, Jessica Bell Gill; and in-laws Alta Pine and Harold Wetzel.
He is survived by his children Bruce (Patty) Bell, Candy Bell and Scott (Patti) Bell; grandchildren Adam Gill, Neal (Rissy) Bell, Jayce (Lynsey) Bell, Nicole (Eric) Hensley, Michael (Alicia) Bell, Meagan (Justin) Halvorson, and Melissa (Sam) Olson; great grandchildren Peteand Alex Gill, Juliet, Graham, RosalieandNora Bell, Peytonand Paige Bell, Laylaand Maia Hensley, Mason, Miles, Morgan, Maverickand Addison Bell, Brooklyn, Alexis and Lukas Halvorson; and numerous cousins.
Memorials in Fred’s name may be made to the Elkhorn Cemetery Fund at the Madison Valley Bank in Boulder or any other organization of your choice. The family would like to thank Headwaters Hospice for its guidance and assistance in keeping Fred comfortable in the last weeks of his life.
