Reverend Doctor Dean M. Bell died Wednesday, 29 May 2019, in Ada, Minnesota. Dean was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on 27 December 1945. He was baptized on 10 January 1946 at the orphanage in Minneapolis. Through adoption, he was welcomed into the home of his hew parents, Alvin and Edna (Grondahl) Bell. In 1960, he was confirmed at Grace Lutheran Church in Ada, Minnesota. He graduated from Moorhead State University in Moorhead, Minnesota, majoring in political science and minoring in history, and then taught high school social studies for four years. He married MaryAnn LaChappele on 6 August 1971. Together they had five children and eleven grandchildren.
He attended Concordia University Wisconsin in 1978 and received lay ministry certification in 1980. He also took some classes at Dr. Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota. After his certification, he served as a lay minister in Georgetown, McIntosh, and Fosston, Minnesota. He went through The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) colloquy process in 1996 and was ordained into the holy ministry. Rev. Bell continued to serve the congregations in McIntosh and Fosston until Fosston closed. He also served congregations in Mahnomen and rural Ada, Minnesota, until his retirement in 2017.
Rev. Bell had a long-standing and strong commitment to serve the wider church beyond his congregations in the North Minnesota District. He served LOGIA by working with the audio and visual resources of the journal. He served as a trained LCMS Reconciler for sixteen years. He served on the Board of Regents of Concordia University Wisconsin for six years and on the Board of Directors of the LCMS for two years. He served the Northern Minnesota District of LCMS as a Circuit Visitor for four years and as a member of the Board of Directors for seven years. He also served on the Confessional Lutheran Educational Fund Board of Directors for seven years—traveling to the Philippines to teach seminary students—and the Lutheran Heritage Foundation Board of Directors for seven years. He served on the Board of Regents of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana, from 2013 until his death. On 17 May 2019, Dean was awarded the Doctor of Divinity Degree, honoris causa, from Concordia Theological Seminary, in recognition of his commitment to Christ and his mission, as evident through his many years of service to Christ and his church. His body now awaits the resurrection of all flesh on the day of Christ’s return.