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Fr. Jude Bell, monk of St. Gregory’s Abbey, an Episcopal Benedictine monastery in Three Rivers, died peacefully on Thursday, July 11, 2019, the Feast of St. Benedict. He was born as Roger Craig Bell on June 20, 1928 in Otwell, Indiana of William F. Bell, Sr. and Edna Craig Bell.
He received an AB at Indiana University Bloomington in 1949. After serving in the Korean War, mainly doing clerical work in the field, he attended Nashotah House Seminary in Wisconsin and graduated with an M. Div. in 1957. He was ordained a deacon in the Episcopal Church on Dec. 22, 1956 by Bishop Donald H. K. Hallock and ordained a priest on June 29, 1957 by Bishop William H. Horstick. He served as curate and then vicar of St. Simeon’s Church in Chippewa Falls, WI 1957-1963 and then as rector of the Church of the Advent in Jeannette, PA 1963-1971.
In 1971, he joined the community of St. Gregory’s Abbey, taking the religious name of Fr. Jude when clothed a novice, and made his life profession in 1977. He served in several jobs, including the guest department and cooking, but his greatest contribution was to manage the mailing list and edit the Abbey Letter, starting in 1973 and continuing until just a few years ago when growing infirmities made it impossible for him to continue. Among his favorite authors were Anthony Trollope and Jane Austen. He was also an amateur pianist who liked to play Schubert and Scott Joplin among others. He was known to many for his witty and intelligent conversation and was outspoken on social justice issues. Most important, he was a faithful and dutiful monk who died in the Lord.
He is survived by his brother William F. Bell, nephews and nieces James H. Bell, Charles W.F. (Chuck) Bell (married to Gina Bell), Philip Craig Chapman-Bell (married to Marcy Chapman-Bell, and Sarah E. Bell (married to Loren Gustafson, and his grand-nephew and niece Max and Lucy Gustafson.
He was pre-deceased by his parents, his sister-in-law Sarah H. Bell and his brother Richard A. Bell.
The funeral will take place at 11: 00 am on Friday, July 19, 2019 at St. Gregory’s Abbey followed by an interment in the Abbey cemetery. Luncheon will follow. Assistance was provided by the Eickhoff Farrand Halverson Chapel of Three Rivers. Condolences may be expressed online at www.efhchapel.com
