Biography

02/04/1914 - 07/26/2002

Major General Clarence Deshong Bell, Sr., (R9) Delaware County, 1961-1966, (R9) Delaware (Part) County, 1967-1972, (R9) Delaware County, 1973-1982 (R9) Delaware (Part) County, 1983-1992, (R9) Chester and Delaware Counties, 1993-2002

Early Life:

Clarence Deshong Bell, Sr., born February 4, 1914, Upland, Delaware County, Pennsylvania; son of Samuel and Belle Hanna Bell; Ferndale High School, 1933; Swarthmore College, B.A., 1935; Harvard Law School, LL.B., 1938, Harvard Law School, J.D., 1970; attended, United States Army Command and General Staff College; battery commander, Pennsylvania National Guard, World War II, 1941-1946;; brigadier general, United States Army Reserve; attorney; elected, Republican Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1955-1960; elected, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1961-2002; married, Mary Isabel James; children, Clarence D. Bell Jr., Mary D. Bell; died, July 26, 2002, while in office of the Senate, Crozer-Chester Medical Center, Upland, Delaware County, Pennsylvania; interment, Chester Rural Cemetery, city of Chester, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. 

Early Career:

Enlisted, United States Army, 1935; transferred, United States Army Reserve, commissioned, Second Lieutenant Field Artillery, one of the first units called to active duty, World War II, 1940. He served 62 months during the war after which he remained active with the Army Reserve, organized Delaware County's 446th Military Government Company where he held the rank of lieutenant colonel. Achieved the rank of Brigadier General, United States Army, Major General, Pennsylvania National Guard. Commander of branches of the Upper Darby National Guard, Chester Army Reserve, Philadelphia Army Reserve, assistant commander, Pennsylvania Army National Guard (retired); served 38 years active Army, National Guard, Army Reserve.

Attorney; admission to practice, Delaware County, state, federal court system; member, Masonic bodies, 33rd degree Mason.

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships:

Honorary memberships, Pennsylvania Lodge and Delaware County Lodge 27, Fraternal Order of Police; Teamsters Local 312; Transportation Workers Union Local 2013; United Auto Workers; Plumbers Local 690; Carpenters Local 845; Operating Engineers Local 842; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 654; Pennsylvania Coalition of Motorcycles, Ironworkers, AFSCME Council 13.

Awards:

Department of Veteran Affairs, Jewish War Veterans, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Knights of Columbus, B’nai B’rith, Legion of Merit, United States Army, Pennsylvania Distinguished Service Medal; Pennsylvania Commendation Medal; Eagle Award, National Guard Bureau, Department of Defense Citation; United States Army Ground Forces Citation; Silver Medallion Medal of Merit, from the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Distinguished Service Medal from the American Legion, Department of Pennsylvania, award from Amvets Post 118.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Republican Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1955-1960 not a candidate for reelection 1960. 

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 9th district, Delaware County, 1961-1966, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 9th district, Delaware (Part) County, 1967-1972, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 9th district, Delaware County, 1973-1982, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 9th district, Delaware (Part) County, 1983-1992, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 9th district, Chester and Delaware Counties, 1993-2002; committee assignments, Appropriations (Vice-Chairman), Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure (Chairman), Military and Veterans Affairs, Rules and Executive Nominations, State Government, Transportation; Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee, 1981-1982; appointed, Local Government Commission, 1965-1966; appointed, Commission on Interstate Cooperation, 1967-1980; appointed, Legislative Budget and Finance Committee, 1975-2002; appointed, Joint Legislative Historical and Museum Commission, 1985-1992; died, while in office of the Senate, July 26, 2002.

 Pennsylvania State House of Representatives Biography: 

Official Website - PA House Archives Official Website (state.pa.us)

Legacy:

Longest serving public official in Pennsylvania, 1955-2002.

In the Senate, November 28, 1989, special order of business congratulating Senator and Mrs. Clarence D. Bell (nee Mary Isabel James), who were married November 29, 1939, Germantown, on their fiftieth wedding anniversary, expresses its hope that they may long continue to enjoy their happy marriage. Sj19891128.pdf (state.pa.us)

Act of July 5, 2005, P.L. 79, No. 32, Designating a portion of State Route 322 in Delaware County as the Senator Clarence D. Bell Memorial Highway. 2005 Act 32 (state.pa.us) 

Cited:

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members B". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

The Pennsylvania Manual, (1999-2000). Crowell, G.; Secretary, Department of General Services. (Volume 114) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 3-34, 3-41; Biographies of Members of the Senate, page 3-12.

Obituary published, Delaware County Daily Times (Upper Darby, Pennsylvania) - Sunday, July 28, 2002.

Clarence Deshong Bell (1914-2002) - Find a Grave Memorial