Elwin G. Bell

Surrounded by his beloved family, grandchildren and great grandchildren, Elwin George Bell of Danvers passed away quietly to be with our Lord on March 2, 2012 at the Kaplan Family Hospice House of Danvers after a brief illness. Elwin was eighty-seven years old. Born in Saint Albans, VT on February 27, 1925, to the late Henry and Bertha (Provencher) Belle, Elwin along with his 10 siblings came to settle in the “Old Port” of Danvers when he was a child. Quickly learning english as his second language, Elwin attended local public schools. Later Elwin was to meet and marry the love of his life, Shirley Mello of Mello Farms on Burley St., Danvers. They were married for 68 years. From 1943 to 1945, Elwin served in the U.S.Navy, as a radar man, 2nd class aboard the Destroyer USS Tweedy. Elwin was awarded both the W.W.II Victory Medal and the American Theater Medal for his service in the war, accomplishments he was always very proud of. After the war, Elwin and Shirley settled in Danvers and raised four children. In 1954 Elwin began a 30 year career as Facilities Supervisor of Maintenance and Construction at Polyvinyl Chemicals in Wilmington, MA. According to his close friend, Polyvinyl Chemicals scientist Max Potash, Elwin was a very gifted and talented man who played a significant role in the successful operations of the plant. He had an instinctive intelligence and knowledge for how things worked and had, as Max describes, “gifted hands”. After his retirement in 1984, Elwin loved to work on a variety of projects for his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He would refinish furniture as special gifts, show up within a moments notice when something needed to be fixed, worked alongside his son in his plumbing business, and was always there when a problem needed to be solved never asking for anything in return. Elwin is survived by his sisters Gertrude Shields and Carol Ernst. Elwin is also survived by, and will be greatly missed by his beloved wife Shirley, daughter Sheila Vaccaro and husband Peter, son Al Bell and wife Cindy, daughter Kathy Gayron, and son Jeffrey Bell and wife Mary. Elwin also leaves behind eleven beautiful grandchildren, 13 amazing great grandchildren all of whom brought great joy to his life and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brothers, Oscar Belle, Arthur Belle, John Bell, Raymond Belle, and Omar Belle; sisters, Marion Chaplin, Irene Howe and Jeanette (Belle) Voight. His Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11AM on Thursday March 8, 2012 in St. Mary of the Annunciation Church, 24 Conant St., Danvers. Burial will follow in Puritan lawn Memorial Park, Peabody. Vst hrs are Wed. from 4-8PM at C.R. Lyons & Sons, Funeral Directors, 28 Elm St., Danvers. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in Elwin's name to the Hospice of the North Shore, 75 Sylvan St., Danvers, MA 01923.