Obituary of Thomas Lorne Bell

Tom sailed off Sept 15th 2022 Born in Riverside Tom was raised in the lively household of his Lyman grandparents with his mother Lily, siblings Don(Frog), Erna((Sal), and Bob(Rusty), Uncles Milton and Morgan and Aunt Margaret. Money was tight in those days, so Tom at 12 went to work after school and on weekends at Fullerton Construction for 35 cents/ hr and it was announced through his school that he was the first student to file an income tax return! WWII was raging and at the young age of 15 he joined the Merchant Marines where he quickly worked his way up to wheelsman ( no GPS or auto pilot then). When the war ended, he was diagnosed with TB and was hospitalized for a year at “Cough College” on Prince Rd. He recovered, found work, married and fathered 3 children Cathy, Tommy and Pat. While working the midnight shift at Hiram Walker he started a trucking company which evolved into a commercial/industrial disposal company for clients like Chrysler and Ford where he showed a talent for problem solving and innovation. He designed and installed the first private disposal system for Chrysler Corp, bringing the first compaction units into Windsor. In 1972 he sold this business to BFI and went to Ottawa as a consultant for two disposal companies that he ended up purchasing. Tired of apartment living he purchased Sen Paterson’s Winesk II, a 72ft steel yacht, where he lived aboard and travelled. Tom was always plagued with health issues and soon sold the company and headed south with the Winesk II where he spent time in Florida and the Bahamas. He had passion for boats and cars. He built his 1st boat, an ice boat, at an early age where his brothers refused to accompany him on its maiden voyage. It was the same story with his first car, only his grandmother would ride in it. When finances improved so did his collection of antique/classic cars and of course always a boat. In February 1981 Tom was on a flight that rerouted due to fog and was seated next to an American woman…Susan. They were married on Christmas Eve and the adventures began with the purchase of the Puce Marina and development of the Bell Buoy restaurant where Tom’s antics became legendary and the food and drinks weren’t bad either. Remember the Goombay Smash, Saki Martinis and the Heart Starter? After selling the marina , they did lots of boating in the Bahamas, also in Ireland and a 2 month trip on a freighter to South America. On land they joined the antique car club then joined the cross country cruise with their 1932 red Plymouth convertible with the rumble seat. Continuing on land they explored Canada and the USA with their “land yacht” camper van and later their motor home always taking the backroads. May Tom’s final adventure be smooth sailing and his destination be as lovely as his beloved home on Pike Creek. Per Toms’ request, cremation has taken place. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Hospice of Windsor, or any charity of your choice. A private celebration of life will be held with family and friends at a later date. Arrangements entrusted to SIMPLE CHOICE (Wyandotte), 519-254-2585. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.simplechoicecremation.ca