Joseph Joe"" R. Bell

Joseph “Joe” R. Bell, 89, husband of Jennie (Angelo) Bell, passed quietly and comfortably surrounded by his loving family on Thursday, November 3, 2016 after a brave battle with cancer. Born in Hartford on June 24, 1927, he was the son of the late Rocco A. Bell and Mary R. (Francoline) Bell. Joe graduated from Wethersfield High in 1945 and joined the Navy (Seabees). He was a graduate of the former Ward School of Electronics and an active University of Hartford alumnus. His professional career spanned across many states, predominantly Alabama, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. During his robust career path as a facilities manager, Joe met and influenced many people. He was well-respected for his leadership skills, friendliness, and kindness. Joe will be dearly missed by his wife Jennie; two daughters, Gayle and husband Orlando Jagoda and Patricia and husband Ernest Davignon; his son, James S. Bell and fiancée Amanda Safer and many cherished grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He also leaves his brother, Roy Bell and wife Ruth and a sister-in-law, Ellen Bell; sisters, Frances Dunn, June Bordieri, Beverly Corraccio, Donna and husband Joseph Crossman and Andrea and husband Charles Mazzola; as well as many cherished nieces, nephews and close cousins. Over the course of many years, he also made many friends and golfing buddies, both in CT and in NC. A special acknowledgement to life-long friend and surrogate “brother,” Bob Massa and his wife Mary. In addition to his parents, Joe was predeceased by his brother, Richard A. Bell. A special thank you to all the Angels of Mercy at Masonicare, especially Laura and Aggie, who showed such care and compassion during Joe’s hospice course, and to the nurses and staff at St. Francis Hospital Cancer Center, especially Joy.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. on Monday (November 7) at the Church of the Incarnation, 544 Prospect St., Wethersfield. Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford. The family will receive relatives and friends on Sunday from 3-6 p.m. at the D'Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Blvd. Wethersfield. In lieu of flowers, donations in Joe’s memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, 825 Brook Street, I-91 Tech Ctr., Rocky Hill, CT 06067 or to the St. Francis/Mt. Sinai Regional Cancer Center, 114 Woodland Street, Hartford, CT 06105. To share a memory of Joe with his family, please visit www.desopo.com.