Ronald James Bell, Sr. was born July 12, 1943, to the late Elliott and Elise Bell in Chicago, IL. Dad passed away on July 4, 2024, at the Durham VA Hospital in Durham, North Carolina. Dad was born and raise Catholic. His father was an African American Deacon of the Catholic Church, and his mother was a devoured member of the Catholic Church.

Dad served in the U.S. Army where he was deployed to Germany and was retired from the U.S. Postal Service.

In the early 2000's Dad relocated to Timberlake, North Carolina where he became a member of the Greater Cleggs Chapel Community Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of Reverend Louis E. Cash. Dad served as trustee, he had a passion for helping others and caring for his animals.

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his brother, Spencer Bell, his son Ronald Bell, Jr., his stepdaughter, Sheba White, and his wife Joyce D. Bell.

He is survived by three sons, Dylan (Shawanda) Bell of Durham, North Carolina, Charles (Karen) Bell and Darryl (Tasha) Bell both of Chicago, Illinois; one step-son, Tony Donald (Vanessa) of Portugal; two daughters, Cynthia (Dean) Harvey of Forth Worth Texas and Jacquline (Paul) Murray of Chicago, Illinois; two stepdaughters, Alicia (Harold) Cates of Raleigh, North Carolina and Zina  (Late James "Jimmy") Harris of Roxboro, North Carolina; one brother Orbin (Deidra) Bell of Richton Park, Illinois, his 1st wife, Barbara J. Bell of Fort Worth, Texas and a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and loving friends.