On January 25, 2022, at the age of 79, LeRoy Curtis Bell of La Crosse, WI passed on his eternal reward. LeRoy was born on June 11, 1942, to Edward and Dorothy Bell of West Salem. He graduated from West Salem High School in 1961 and joined the Army where he served for three years. In 1963, he married his high school girlfriend, Karen Olson. They settled in Iowa where they had three children: Shelley (Kevin Shirel), Jeffrey (Miekka) and Michael (Angela). LeRoy and Karen were also blessed with many grandchildren: Courtney Garcia (Cory), Tyler Shirel (Shalwa), Madison McCalla (Brett), Camden Bell, Owen Bell, Adelaide Burk, Eloise Burk, Joyce Bell and Ruby Bell as well as two great-granddaughters: Sophie Garcia and Marley McCalla. LeRoy worked for many years in the banking and IT industry as a data systems analyst and as vice president of data services for the National Bank of Waterloo/Homeland Banks of Iowa and as a account for Fiserv. The job closest to his heart was serving as pastor of Calvary Apostolic Church La Crosse from 1995 to 2011, after serving as a licensed minister with the United Pentecostal Church International since 1981.
LeRoy was predeceased by his parents: Edward and Dorothy Bell; his sister, Shirley Thurston (Tom), and his sister-in-law Kay Borreson (David).
Visitation will be held Saturday, January 29, 2022 at Blaschke & Schneider Funeral Home from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., followed by a private family commitment ceremony. In lieu of flowers, LeRoy wanted memorials returned to New Beginnings (nbnow.org), an adoption agency that is uniquely special to the Bell family. A celebration of life service will be held at a later date. To view the full obituary, please visit the Blaschke and Schneider Funeral Home website.
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