Walter S. Bell

Walter S. Bell, Jr., 75, of Drexel, NC went home to be with his Lord Friday, July 19, 2013. A native of Atlanta, GA, Walter was born June 11, 1938 to the late Walter Stewart Bell and Jessie Mae Jones Bell. He graduated in 1960 from Erskine College in Due West, SC, and began his working career at The Hartford Insurance Company as a special agent. He managed territories in Georgia, North and South Carolina, and Alabama. In 1972, Walter joined The Norvell Company, an independent insurance agency, and was promoted to President of the company in 1984. After The Norvell Company and the Cameron M. Harris Company of Charlotte merged in 1985, Walter became vice-president of one of the largest independent insurance agencies in North Carolina. In October of 1998, BB&T; Insurance Services acquired Cameron H. Harris Company of Morganton, and Walter became Vice-President of the BB&T; Insurance Services in Morganton from which he retired in 2011.Walter enjoyed a large variety of hobbies including camping, fishing, hunting, playing the guitar, and singing. His favorite past-time was making knives, "the oldest craft known to man" as Walter would often say.His love for good Southern barbeque grew into a thriving restaurant venture in Morganton. In 1982, Mike and Russ Fulenwider and Walter saw an opportunity to honor J. V. Fulenwider and started a barbeque restaurant using their smoker at the High Country Mountain Festival in Boone. The business grew and developed into Judge’s Riverside Restaurant in 1986.Walter was a member of the First Baptist Church of Morganton. He served his beloved community in many ways including being President of the Morganton-Burke Merchants Association in 1976, and serving four years as a trustee on the Board of Baptist Retirement Homes of North Carolina.Walter is survived by two daughters, Kerrie Bell Johnson of Fruitland Park, FL, and Kristi Bell Grey and her husband, Dennis of Kingsport, TN; his beloved grandson, Chase Johnson; two sisters, Joann Burt and Emily Christopher, both of Grayson, GA; and his adopted family, Wanda Rose, Jeff Rose, Steve and Angel Rose, and Cindy Rose. Walter was a proud "Papa" to Madison, Aleia, Kelsie, Justin, and Bailey Rose.Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, July 22, 2013 at the First Baptist Church in Morganton with Dr. Thomas A. Bland, Jr. officiating. Burial will follow at Burke Memorial Park. The family will receive friends Sunday, July 21 from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm at Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center where the body will remain until placed in the church thirty minutes before the funeral hour. Memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church, PO Box 459, Morganton, NC 28680.