Obituary of Alan William Bell

Bell, Alan William A longtime restaurateur in Minnetonka, MN died peacefully June 6, 2017, with his wife by his side. He was 84 years old. Alan was born December 13, 1932 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. He was the son of Joseph and Mary Ann Bell. He grew up in Newcastle with a love of the sea. He attended Grave's End sea school and joined the British Merchant Marines at age 16. He traveled extensively, working on ships around the world, eventually settling in California. Among his many jobs, he enjoyed working at dinner clubs owned by Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. In 1970 he was recruited by a fellow Brit to join the management team at Lord Fletcher's on Lake Minne-tonka. Shortly after his arrival in Minnesota, he married Jann Joann Goss, who was also from California. They had two children; Krista and Anthony. In the early 1980's he met and married Rachel McElroy and became a stepfather to Amber. Alan was a prominent figure in the Minnesota restaurant industry for over 43 years. Following his retirement from Lord Fletcher's as General Manager and President, he joined the restaurant team at the Edina Country Club. Always impeccably dressed, a master of British diplomacy, Alan was known as The Captain by many. Above all else, Alan was a "true gentleman's gentleman", liked and respected by nearly everyone who knew him. He was a fair, honest, and hard working man who conducted his life with dignity up until the very end. Alan is survived by his wife of 35 years, Rachel; his three children, Krista Bell, Anthony (Regina) Bell, and Amber Phillips; four grandchildren, Olivia and Ashley Phillips, Lilly and Aayla Bell; brothers in Newcastle, Joseph (Edna) Bell and Donald (Anne) Bell, many nieces, nephews, family members, friends and colleagues. Memorial service Sunday, June 11 at 6:00 pm, with visitation 1 hour prior, at the Cremation Society of Minnesota, 7110 France Avenue Edina, MN 55435, 952-924-4100. In the spirit of Alan's giving nature and special love for his nephew Tim, please consider a donation to Chrestomathy, Inc. of Minneapolis, a specialized adult day program. 310 East 38th Street, Suite 311, Minneapolis, MN 55409. 612-822-6691.chrestomathyinc.org