MR. Charles Bell, of 71 Downpatrick Street, Crossgar, died on September 15 after a short illness, aged 89.
Known to all as Charlie, he is survived by his sister, Joan, brother Eamon and several generations of nephews and nieces, all of whom hold such fondness for him.
Charlie was born on December 9, 1924, to parents Charlie and Hannah and was one of seven children. The family lived at The Square in Crossgar until they moved to their Downpatrick Street home in 1935, where Charlie was to live for the rest of his life.
Leaving school before he was 16, Charlie spent his entire working life in the family business. In his early years he worked closely with his father in a thriving cattle dealing activity, but the largest part of his involvement was dedicated to the poultry business with which the Bell family in Crossgar have become synonymous.
He was instrumental in the development of a poultry breeding operation which grew rapidly in the 1960s, allowing the family business to supply chickens and turkeys to customers throughout the UK and Ireland. Late night and early morning calls on day-old chicks became part of a disciplined work routine to which he dedicated himself for well over 30 years.
Charlie had a lifelong interest in sport, but his passion for Gaelic games ranked above all others. He was a dedicated supporter of the Down County football team and rarely missed a match for almost 50 years.
He made the trip of a lifetime accompanying the team to the United States for the All Star Tour which followed their first All-Ireland victory in 1960. He was also a committed and often vocal supporter of the Teconnaught GAA club over many years.
In his later years, he was an avid reader and enjoyed keeping abreast of current affairs, but it was in family issues that he had the greatest interest.
Charlie will be most fondly remembered by a wide family circle, many of whom gathered at his Downpatrick Street home each Sunday after 11 o’ clock Mass.
He took great pleasure in keeping up to date with the activities and achievements of an ever growing number of nephews and nieces and welcomed new generations with great warmth. He particularly enjoyed the humour on these occasions and didn’t mind being on the receiving end of family wit.
Very much regarded as the Elder of the Bell family, he was a deeply private and reserved person, but was always very supportive of family, friends and neighbours in times of need. He was deeply committed to his faith and very supportive of his local Church.
In the final years of his life, he was unable to undertake the five-mile walks that had been such a feature of his daily routine. However, he refused to complain as his health deteriorated. He continued to ask after others who he felt were in greater need which reflected precisely the caring person that made Charlie so loved by many.
He was fortunate to spend only a few days in hospital towards the end, due to the dedication and devotion of his sister, Joan, to his care. Joan looked after him with great compassion throughout his life, particularly when his health began to fail.
He will be sadly missed by her and by the entire family circle. May he rest in peace.