William “Bill” Stephen Bell

William “Bill” Stephen Bell, 74, of Lawrence, KS passed away on June 25, 2022. Bill was born in Fort Knox, Kentucky to Captain Joseph and Dorothy Metz Bell on December 9, 1947.

Born the oldest in a military family, Bill was the glue for their small army always on the move. The constant shuffle of domestic and international moves set the stage for a tight knit family that had mastered the art of self-entertainment. Bill provided a sense of harmony, both literally and figuratively. He was the appointed lead vocalist for the Bell family band, and their harmonizing fancied the earbuds of the infamous EmmyLou Harris who joined them in a little diddy during their days stationed in Frankfort, Germany. Their childhood barbershop bops inspired a decades-long tradition of holiday sing-a-longs. Bill’s influence and love for Lawrence led his parents and siblings to Kansas where they continued to share a bond that few families get to experience.

The family landed in Falls Church, Virginia for Bill’s high school days. He led the Falls Church High School football team as quarterback (and running back, and kicker, and punter, and…). By his senior year, Bill was running his own offense – no ‘offense’ to his coaches, whom Bill seemingly found unreliable to get the job done. He really could do it all. Bill went on to earn the titles of All Northern Virginia Running Back (as a quarterback), the FCHS Jaguar of the Year (MVP) accolade, and, to no surprise, received the ‘Most Athletic’ superlative from his classmates. On top of his football achievements, Bill excelled in track and field. He competed in the hurdles, the 100-yard dash, and held his school’s pole vault record until 2017. Goddamn Gen Z. His legs (showcased proudly throughout his life) had unbelievable power.

Bill received a full ride scholarship to play football at the University of Kansas. He spent three seasons as a KU kicker and otherwise durable playmaker for some of KU’s most successful teams. Bill secured the KU record for most conversions scored in a game during a 68-7 victory over New Mexico in 1968. He had taken the field during that game as a punter, place-kicker, quarterback and outside linebacker. He’d missed on the fifth of his nine extra-point attempts, and there wouldn’t be a 10th. That’s because, as the third-string quarterback, Bill had been running the offense for the fourth quarter and had run in the team’s 10th touchdown himself. He tapped out of kicking that final conversion, too tired from carrying the whole team on his back. His record remained intact at the University of Kansas until 2004. Goddamn Millennials.

Among his most cherished college moments, Bill played for the national championship in the 1969 Orange Bowl. Bill handled punting and place-kicking chores, averaging 40.4 yards on eight punts and connecting on both extra points in the 15-14 loss to Penn State. While at KU, Bill wore the #12 proudly in honor of his father but sported a rare #100 jersey his senior year, symbolizing the hundredth year of college football and the number of points he had scored in his first two seasons as a Jayhawk. This national publicity stunt made him, as some would say, a really big deal.

Bill gained notoriety with the NFL for being the ultimate utility player. Upon graduating from KU with a degree in education in 1971, he entered the NFL draft as a place kicker. He garnered a bid from the Atlanta Falcons where he played for his first two years of professional football. Bill kept every letter from adoring fans, mostly children and single women, in his arsenal of memorabilia. He transferred to the New England Patriots for his final year in the big league before returning to his chosen home, Lawrence, KS.

Bill met the love of his life, Diane Feuerborn – the elusive woman in the window – at Sergeant Preston’s in May of 1980. The two dodged each other’s glances all night, and Diane was left to use her Lawrence connections to identify the striking man from the bar. Within minutes of learning of her interest from a mutual friend, Bill called Diane to begin their rapid-fire courtship. Sporting an all-white get-up from JCPenney (a major splurge for a frugal man), Bill’s charm and charisma won Diane over on their first date. His full head of hair helped tremendously, too. He also made a point early in their relationship to invite her to his softball games with the Lawrence Trout to show off his athletic superiority. That worked, too. The two were Lost in Love [Air Supply, 1980] from that spring forward.

Bill and Diane married in Lawrence in May 1981, and together they had three beautiful children – Katie, Joe & Jack – whom Bill adored. Pictures indicate he was the world’s greatest napping buddy. They fondly recall canoeing trips in Missouri, camping in Colorado, and cruises in the Caribbean. They not so fondly recall his (singular) attempt at a carefree sailing excursion that left all three kids, Diane, and their family dog, Rudy, fearing for their lives. He shared inside jokes with their friends and was a real crowd pleaser at their sporting events. His favorite pastime was gasping “WHAAA WHAT?!” in shock every time the Don’s Steak House check came after a family meal, causing the waiters to over-explain the charges and his kids to cover their faces in embarrassment. He was a teacher, a friend, and most importantly, someone they could always count on to fix all the broken shit in their homes.

Crafty and curious, Bill could have done anything. He excelled in construction as one of Lawrence’s most renowned trim carpenters and most notably as the Director of Buildings and Grounds for Douglas County. He was Lawrence’s “Go-to Guy”* for 27 years. He really could do it all, as he had showcased in every aspect of his life, but it was his gift of genuine connection that made him exceptional at his multitude of trades. His brain functioned as a rotary file full of recommendations of good, honest people who did good, honest work. He never forgot a job well done. Bill passed on his incredible work ethic and problem solving skills to his kids.

Bill loved the water, and his favorite places on earth were Aberdeen, MD, Martha’s Vineyard, CT and Lone Star Lake. He loved to fish and float, but not at the same time. Bill and Diane purchased a cabin at Lone Star Lake in 1982, the same year their dear Katie was born. The family spent every weekend swimming, stargazing, and waving at Bill through the open door of the outhouse. After retiring from Douglas County, Bill decided it was time to upgrade their lakeside abode. He designed and built their beloved Wally World, a breezy and welcoming cabin for his family to find joy and happiness in for years to come. Of all of his achievements, he felt most proud of this one.

Bill’s true pleasures in life were his family, his recliner, and his short jorts. He loved Crosby, Stills & Nash and weekend getaways with Diane. He was a masterful chef and could make a mean chicken cordon bleu. Perpetually unaware of how caller ID worked, he always shouted, “It’s Bill Bell!” when receiving AND delivering a call. He had no problem avoiding extended family on holidays by accompanying his shih tzu to bed. You knew you were in for a treat when he started a sentence with “Nothing pisses me off more than!…” He was witty and had a ‘colorful’ vocabulary. He had a laugh that would play in your head for days. He made a point to check in on old friends and was a masterful narrator of the good ol’ days. He was one-of-a-kind, and above all, he was unapologetically himself.

No amount of time with Bill would have been enough for his abundance of friends and adoring family. Bill lived a full life, and we find comfort that he left this earth with no regrets. We like to think he has returned to enjoying life’s simple pleasures: a cold beer in a lawn chair, singing a little diddy with his dad, biological brother Pat, and Doobie Brother Mike Hossack.

Bill is survived by his wife, Diane Feuerborn Bell; three children Katie Bell Allen, Joe (Kerry) Bell, and Jack (Daryl) Bell, all of Lawrence; granddaughters Emma Allen, Hannah Allen, Ellie Allen, and Berkley “Brittney” Bell; and siblings Tom Bell, Kathy Gregory, Marji Breault, Rob (Robin) Bell, and Debbie (John) Wingebach. He is preceded in death by his parents, Cpt. Joseph and Dorothy Bell; his brother Pat Bell; and son-in-law Wade Allen.

Memorial services will be held at 1:00pm Friday, July 8, 2022 at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence. The family will greet friends prior to the service from 11:00am to 1:00pm on Friday at the mortuary.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Lawrence Humane Society in honor of Bill and his shih tzu, McKenzie. Donations may be left with Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W 13th St, Lawrence, KS 66044, or made directly to the Lawrence Humane Society via an online donation:< https://lawrencehumane.org/donate/ >

For more information or to post a condolence go to warrenmcelwain.com .

*”Go-to Guy” by Mark Fagan for LJ World, September 20, 2004 < https://www2.ljworld.com/news/2004/sep/20/goto_guy/ >