glfrdug
Well Known Member
Fellow builders and friends,
My dad, Doug Bell Sr. passed away on July 4th.
Many of you knew dad from a few visits to Oshkosh or met him simply from email replies. So many of you never knew him, but you all inspired him, kept him young thinking about these RV's and many of you have become customers of his tail wheel fork.
Dad was 85 yrs young and loved flying. He loved his family. He loved his wife Mary and they just had celebrated a 65th wedding anniversary.
Dad built an Acro Sport after owning a C-140 and a Piper Cherokee. He won a bronze Lindy at Oshkosh with it and played in the sky's over his current hometown of Cadillac, MI for so many years. Originally from Ontario, he was a proud Canadian too and worked on the famous Avro Arrow as a young apprentice learning his trade.
In 1999 we began the process of building an 8. It was a great 6 years and we got to know each other better than we had to that point. I wish it was still ongoing...Mom and by brother Mike were always there to lend a third or fourth hand when needed.
I attended Oshkosh as a kid with Dad all through the 70's. I flew the 8 in with Dad in the back in 2008 and we had a great last trip to Osh together. Heat and his legs did him in.
I'll remember the cold beers at the corner bar with him while staying in the dorms and the ice cream melting too fast on thise wicked hot Osh Days. So many good memories.
The Tail Wheel Fork's were never meant to be a business and he was always amazed when we received orders from all over the world. He looked at it more as helping other builders and flyers....It kept him young and thinking ahead instead of at his declining health.
His last day in his shop he was inventorying a new batch of 100 forks we had just got in. He and Mom were cleaning them up and organizing them.
Mom, my brother Mike and I will continue with this batch of 100 more forks and see where it goes from there.
To Doug, Danny, Bill, Kevin, Sam and so many others, thanks for keeping a flyers spirits up. Until his eyes gave out on him a year ago, Dad enjoyed reading the forums and seeing what news was on the front page each night before bed.
Here are a few shots of a great guy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11229977@N08/sets/72157630505926832/
Tailwinds Pops....tailwinds
Doug jr.
My dad, Doug Bell Sr. passed away on July 4th.
Many of you knew dad from a few visits to Oshkosh or met him simply from email replies. So many of you never knew him, but you all inspired him, kept him young thinking about these RV's and many of you have become customers of his tail wheel fork.
Dad was 85 yrs young and loved flying. He loved his family. He loved his wife Mary and they just had celebrated a 65th wedding anniversary.
Dad built an Acro Sport after owning a C-140 and a Piper Cherokee. He won a bronze Lindy at Oshkosh with it and played in the sky's over his current hometown of Cadillac, MI for so many years. Originally from Ontario, he was a proud Canadian too and worked on the famous Avro Arrow as a young apprentice learning his trade.
In 1999 we began the process of building an 8. It was a great 6 years and we got to know each other better than we had to that point. I wish it was still ongoing...Mom and by brother Mike were always there to lend a third or fourth hand when needed.
I attended Oshkosh as a kid with Dad all through the 70's. I flew the 8 in with Dad in the back in 2008 and we had a great last trip to Osh together. Heat and his legs did him in.
I'll remember the cold beers at the corner bar with him while staying in the dorms and the ice cream melting too fast on thise wicked hot Osh Days. So many good memories.
The Tail Wheel Fork's were never meant to be a business and he was always amazed when we received orders from all over the world. He looked at it more as helping other builders and flyers....It kept him young and thinking ahead instead of at his declining health.
His last day in his shop he was inventorying a new batch of 100 forks we had just got in. He and Mom were cleaning them up and organizing them.
Mom, my brother Mike and I will continue with this batch of 100 more forks and see where it goes from there.
To Doug, Danny, Bill, Kevin, Sam and so many others, thanks for keeping a flyers spirits up. Until his eyes gave out on him a year ago, Dad enjoyed reading the forums and seeing what news was on the front page each night before bed.
Here are a few shots of a great guy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11229977@N08/sets/72157630505926832/
Tailwinds Pops....tailwinds
Doug jr.
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