Douglas Gordon Bell

Doug was born and raised in East Vancouver – a true “Vancouverite” where he attend Selkirk Elementary and Vancouver Technical High school. He was the first born son of Ellen Davidson (Bell then Berg) and George Bell. Doug was a young teenager when his father died. George Bell. Had worked the coal mines in Wales before moving to Canada and meeting Ellen and having a family. He succumbed to disease early in his life. Doug was thrust into the role of father to his younger brother Gary and had to seek out employment right out of high school to financially help his family. Doug went into the printing industry and remained there until he retired in 1997. He began his career at Lumberman Press which split into Evergreen Press and Agency Press. Doug was a part of the unionization of that company in the early 60’s. He moved into a supervisory role at Agency Press and finished his career with the Graphic Communications Union where he helped to found the Training School for Trades Persons and negotiated many union contracts as a business representative. Doug was known for his calm demeanour, his reliability and his strong sense of fair play. He made many friends at work because he was simply a “great guy”.

Doug loved to dance and frequented the various dance clubs in Vancouver after graduation where he met the love of his life, Blanche. The two became an inseparable couple and the envy of many on the dance floor. For the next 61 years Doug and Blanche made many friends, travelled extensively (making even more new friends) and danced their way around the world as Master Cruisers on the Princess Cruiselines. Doug and Blanche spent many happy years entertaining friends at their cabin in Sudden Valley when they weren’t on a cruise ship and played a mean game of cribbage on their regular crib nights with their close friends.

Doug was a loving and devoted father. He coached kids baseball, youth football and refereed football right up to the CFL level. Again – that sense of fairness made him an excellent referee and his family could always count on him for sound advice and unwavering support!

Doug was predeceased by his wife, Blanche, who died of complications associated with a prior stroke, on August 24, 2016. By then, Doug was suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s Disease and he quietly passed on April 14, 2020. Doug is survived by his brother Gary (Margaret), son Ed (Nancy), daughter Diane (Brian), grandchildren Shannon (Dan), Brianna, Carson and Celina (Clay) and a myriad of nephews, nieces and close friends – some of whom we hope he meets up with again in a better place where he can dance the night away with Blanche.

A small Celebration of Life will be held at Oceanview Funeral Home, 4000 Imperial Street, Burnaby, on Saturday August 22nd starting with a chapel service at 11am, followed by reception at 11:45am (a light lunch will be provided) and then the inurnment in the mausoleum with his beloved Blanche. No flowers please – donations may be made in Doug’s memory to the Alzheimer Society of B.C. 300-828 W. 8th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C. V5Z 1E2.

Because of COVID restrictions, space will be limited. Kindly RSVP in the comments below so we can track the numbers and we will see if we can accommodate the current limit of 48 attendees.