John Bell

1930 - 2025

John Bell
January 26, 1930 - August 9, 2025
John Bell of Oxnard, California, died peacefully on 9 August, 2025. John was born January 26, 1930 at 5:00 P.M. at St. Francis Hospital in San Francisco. He was the only child of John and Marian Bell.
John grew up in San Francisco, attending Grant Grammar School, Lowell High School, and Santa Rosa Junior College. He then enlisted in the Aviation Cadet program and earned his pilots' wings with Class 51H. After serving a period on active duty, he returned to college at U.C. Berkeley, and was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He stayed active with Cal and the fraternity, often donating to their fundraising pursuits. He was also a long time Cal football season ticket holder and was in the stands at the famed Cal vs. Stanford game that featured "The Play."
In 1957, he joined Pan American World Airways, flying the Boeing 377, DC-4, DC-6, B-727, B-707, and B-747, retiring in 1990. He then served 10 years consulting as an Expert Observer with the NASA/University of Texas Crew Resource Management program. John continued to serve in the Air Force Reserve, retiring as a Colonel in 1990, his last job an Air Force Academy Liaison Officer, helping many prospective cadets attend the Academy.
While serving with the Air Force in 1953, he became attracted to Barbershop Harmony, and eventually joined SPEBSQSA in 1960. He was the lead in Buskers, his quartet that traveled for shows around the San Francisco Bay area. He loved music and sang in the church choir at both St Francis of Assisi in Novato and Trinity Episcopal Church in Sonoma for many years.
In 1963, John met the love of his life Peggy, in Honolulu. They married in Miami in 1964, and flew immediately to Berlin, Germany to start their new life together. They had their daughter, Cami, in Berlin 1965, returned to the bay area where they had their son, Jeff, in 1967. The family traveled all over the world on Pan Am passes during the airline's heyday.
He is survived by his wife Peggy (Nelson), daughter Cami Pinsak (Chris) of Camarillo, California, son Jeff (Kathy Hash) of Fairfax Station, Virginia, grandchildren Samantha and Lauryn Pinsak, and Cameron, Caitlyn, and Chance Bell. A memorial celebration will be held on 6 September at 1pm PDT at Trinity Episcopal Church in Sonoma, followed by a reception at Murphy's Irish Pub, Sonoma.
For those who are unable to travel, a streaming option will be provided when available. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to the Sonoma chapter of Meals on Wheels. John was a longtime volunteer when he lived in Sonoma.
https://www.mowofsonoma.org.