Ralph Bell Jr.

SUMMERTON - Ralph "Buck" Bell Jr., 85, widower of Frances Holmes Bell, died Sunday, October 16, 2011, in Clarendon Memorial Hospital in Manning.

Born June 13, 1926, in Lydia, he was the son of the late Ralph Bell Sr. and the late Elise Parham Bell. He left Clemson University to serve in the Merchant Marine during WW II. After the war, he returned to Clemson and graduated in 1949 with a bachelor's degree in agricultural engineering. Shortly after graduating, Buck purchased land in the Taw Caw Creek area of Clarendon County and actively farmed this land until 2011. He was a member of Summerton Baptist Church where he served many years as a deacon, and also as chairman, Sunday School superintendent and trustee. He was instrumental in the founding of Summerton Baptist Church School in 1965 which later became Clarendon Hall School where he served as chairman of the school board for 25 years. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Award in 1990, the highest honor given by the S.C. Farm Bureau, he was chairman of the National Beef Industry Council and the S.C. Beef Board and was on the executive board of the S.C. Farm Bureau for over 20 years. He served five years on the Board of Trustees of the Baptist College of Charleston, now Charleston Southern University, was on the Summerton Town Council for 16 years, 12 years as Mayor pro tem. He was also a member of the Summerton Lion's Club.

He is survived by a son, John Ducworth (Betsy) of Summerton; three daughters, Mandy McGee of Simpsonville, Martha Reynolds (Julian) of Andrews, and Fran Green (Guerry) of Pawleys Island; a sister, JoAnn Bell Clark (Don) of Montgomery, AL; six grandchildren, Michael McGee, John Ducworth III (Julie), Elizabeth Rogan, Martha Green, Hayes Green and Guerry Green Jr.; two great-grandchildren, May Rogan and William Rogan.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 19, 2011, at Summerton Baptist Church with the Revs. Brent Hutsell and Bob Ashba officiating. Burial will follow in Benbow Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Billy Davis, Bob Davis, Don B. Clark, Roy Belser, Gene Buckner and Truett Dick.

Visitation will be 6:00-8:00 p.m. Tuesday in the Summerton Baptist Church Fellowship Hall.

Memorials may be made to Summerton Baptist Church, P.O. Box 98, Summerton, SC 29148 or Clarendon Hall School, P.O. Box 609, Summerton, SC 29148.

Stephens Funeral Home & Crematory, 304 N. Church St., Manning, is in charge of arrangements, (803) 435-2179. www.stephensfuneralhome.org