John Luther Bell Sr.

Pastor John Luther "J. L." Bell Sr., 72, of Berlin, died Friday, June 8, 2012, at Colquitt Regional Medical Center. Funeral service will be held at 3 p.m. Monday, June 11, at Baker Funeral Home Chapel with interment at Trinity Tabernacle Church Cemetery with the Rev. John L. Bell Jr. officiating. Pallbearers will be Jonathan Bell, Timothy Bell, Jeremy Bell, Justin Bell, Jacob Bell, Alex Bell, Heath Sims, Stephen Warren and David Hamilton. Visitation will be 4-6 p.m. today, June 10, at Baker Funeral Home. Mr. Bell was born Dec. 14, 1939, in Moultrie to the late Pastor J.A. Bell and Estell Benefield Bell. A member of Trinity Tabernacle Church of Berlin, he was a tool and die maker and owned his own business, Economy Tool and Specialty Co. "He loved his family and God," his family recalled. "He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. He had a special love for Trinity Tabernacle, where he was the pastor and played the guitar." Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Marguerite Cook Bell of Berlin; sons, the Rev. John L. Bell Jr. and wife Janice, Tony Bell and wife Angie and Rory Bell and wife Dawn, all of Berlin; daughters, Marsha Eldridge and husband Larry of Fleming Island, Fla., and Laura Sharon Hamilton and husband Tommy of Moultrie; sisters, Mary Frances Dean, Rosetta Cagley and Annette Bell of Berlin, Betty Lou Dean of Moultrie, Juanita Arnold and husband Jimmy and Evelyn Kennedy and husband Buck of Greenville, S.C.; grandchildren, Jonathan Bell and wife Crystal, Timothy Bell and wife Lynsey, Jennifer Sims and husband Heath, Diana Eldridge Warren and husband Stephen, Lisa Eldridge Thomas, Melissa Hamilton Spainhour and husband Mark, David Hamilton and wife Marla, Teresa Hamilton, Ashley Bell, Jeremy Bell, Alex Bell, Jacob Bell, Justin Bell and Jamie Vicker; great-grandchildren, Nathan, Aaron and Ryan Bell, Brayden and Kylan Bell, Bradley and Blake Warren, Christopher and Cameron Thomas, Andrew, Joshua and Emily Spainhour, Ethan and Adalyn Hamilton, Courtney and Lillian Morgan and Madison Bell and expecting one more; sister-in-law, Pat Bell of Berlin; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Amos L. Bell, and a grandchild, Christina Eldridge.