Ollie Newton Bell

April 26, 1928 - June 4, 2021

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U.S. VeteranOllie Newton Bell, 93, of Texarkana, Texas, died at his home on June 4, 2021, of natural causes. Ollie was born in Texarkana on April 26, 1928, to Bernard Walton Bell and Olive Morphew Bell (Gaffney).

Ollie served his country from 1946 to 1951 in the United States Navy during World War II and the Korean War, most notably on the USS Tortuga.

Ollie received his Bachelor of Architecture Degree from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in 1956 and returned to Texarkana to join Ann Bintliff Gooch in the architecture firm that later became Bintliff, Bell and Holderness. He was licensed to practice architecture in Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, and was a Member Emeritus of the American Institute of Architecture. Ollie designed many beautiful buildings in Texarkana, including First Lutheran Church, Texarkana Federal Savings and Loan, Coker Buick, and Texarkana Funeral Home (Texas), as well as homes for families in Texarkana and the surrounding area.

During his life, Ollie was a member of First Lutheran Church, The Masonic Fraternity, Shriners International, the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks, The American Legion, and was Past President of the Optimist Club.

After retiring from architecture in 1987, Ollie became a Certified Optician so that he could join his best friend, Pat McKnight, at her business, McKnight Optical, keeping Texarkana citizens in beautiful and functional glasses until the 1990’s.

Friends and family will remember Ollie as the life of the party, hosting his annual Halloweenie Roast, and enjoying reunions of the USS Tortuga.

Ollie is preceded in death by his parents; his brother Bernard Austin Bell; and his son Troy Nathan Bell.

He is survived by his children Vicki Bell, Austin Ollie Bell and Robin Scott Bell (Peggy); and by his former wife, Janet Walters Elwood. Ollie is also survived by seven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and his best friend of 43 years, Pat McKnight.

Memorial services will be held at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, June 15, 2021 in the chapel he designed at Texarkana Funeral Home, 3515 Texas Boulevard with visitation beginning at noon. Interment will be in Rosehill Cemetery.

The family would like to thank the loving caregivers at Ashley’s Care and House call, and Hospice of Texarkana.

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