Funeral service for Retired 1SG Eddie Lee Bell, Sr., 74 of Copperas Cove, Texas will be held Wednesday, June 1, 2022, 11:00 a.m. at Bible Way Missionary Baptist Church in Copperas Cove, Texas. Burial with full military honors will follow the service at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen, TX.

Viewing will be held two hours prior to the service (9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.) at the church.

Mr. Bell passed away May 25, 2022, in Copperas Cove, Texas. Eddie Lee Bell, Sr. was born September 24,1947, in Mobile, Alabama to Stella Mae Bell.

On October 19, 1969, he married Loretta A. Brown and together they raised three children.

After graduating from High School, he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1966 to 1969, and again in 1974. Eddie serviced in Vietnam in 1968-1969. He served 27+ years in Signal Corps and retired as First Sergeant in 1995. Immediately he back to work for the Department of Defense (DoD) and retired as a GS-13 in 2014 after 19+ years in Stuttgart, Germany. Upon his death, he was the President of the Department of Texas Korean War Veterans Association (KWVA) and National Director of the KWVA from 2017- 2022.

Eddie and his wife have lived in the Copperas Cove area for over 20 years. He is affiliated with many organizations including Veterans of Foreign Wars (Post 8577), Military Order of the Cootie (DOOIT #13), National Home (Eaton Rapids Michigan), Korean War Veterans Association (Chapter #222), Disable Veterans (DAV Post #74), Vietnam Veterans of America (Chapter 1000), Veterans Helping Veterans (Star Group TX), VetFriends Veteran of America New, Association of the United States Army, AFCEA, Forty & Eight (Locale #266), Non-Commissioned Officers Association, American Legion (Post 582), Killeen Sister Cities (Osan Korean Committee), New Light Lodge #242, Consistory #306 (Killeen, TX), Shrine #191 (Killeen, TX). He was also a member of Bible Way Missionary Baptist Church.

Proceeding him in death is his mother, Stella Mae Bell, and sister, Barbara Jean Harris Rodgers. He leaves to cherish his memory: His wife, Loretta A. Bell of Copperas Cove, Texas; son, Eddie L. Bell, Jr. of Albuquerque, New Mexico; two daughters, Tamara Hill and Edrice A. Bell of Houston, Texas; three grandsons, Demetri Hill, Drew Al-Amin, and Thelonious Bell; one granddaughter, Amber Hill; and one great-grandson, August Williams. His departure is also greatly mourned by a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, dear friends, and neighbors.