Thomas Julian Bell

Thomas Julian Bell, from Shreveport, LA, was born on June 14, 1942, and went to be with his Lord and Savior on October 5, 2025, at the age of 83. If you ever spent a day with Thomas, you’d quickly learn a few things about him; he loved his family, the Lord, his land, his airplanes, and he loved the life he built with his own two hands.

Thomas was the kind of man who found joy in hard work and peace in the outdoors. Not long after meeting the love of his life, Jewel “Judy” Bell, he somehow convinced her, after only three months of dating to marry him and pack up and move from Panama City, FL to Shreveport, LA. It turned out to be one of the best decisions either of them ever made. Together, they shared almost 61 beautiful years of marriage filled with laughter, faith, and family.

Thomas and Judy started Bell Machine Company, which they launched from their garage just three weeks after they married in 1965. Thomas took great pride in his work. He was a craftsman, a problem solver, and a man who believed that if you were going to do something, you should do it right. He built his company much like he built his life, with care, grit, and love for the people around him.

When he wasn’t at the shop, Thomas could almost always be found at 4B Ranch, the land he loved most. Whether he was sitting in a deer stand before sunrise or casting a line in one of his favorite fishing spots, the ranch was his heaven on earth. It was where he found peace, and where he made countless memories with his children and grandchildren, teaching them about the outdoors, hard work, and the importance of slowing down to enjoy life’s blessings.

A devoted Christian, Thomas lived his faith in quiet, steadfast ways. He spent the majority of his life at Life Tabernacle, where he served faithfully as Chairman of the Board. In later years, he attended Open Range Fellowship Church and Bossier Life Church. He had a heart for foreign ministry and helped build churches around the world.

Thomas was a Lifetime Member of the Beefmaster Breeders Association. He was also deeply rooted in his community and served on the Board of American Bank and was active in the Shreveport Chapter of the Lion’s Club for many years. He cherished his friendships made through these organizations.

Thomas is preceded in death by his parents, Charles Rew Bell and Lola Wade Bell; father- and mother-in-law, William Roland Carter and Thelma Richards Carter; brother, Bill Rew Bell, sister-in-law, Dean Walker Bell, and brother- and sister-in-law, William “Billy” Roland Carter and Dena Blount Carter.

He is survived by his beloved wife of almost 61 years, Jewel Carter Bell; his children, Jana Bell Guillotte (Sean), Julian Shane Bell (Dana), and Brenda Bell Zimmermann (Jim); his cherished grandchildren, Dailey Joy Foster, Thomas Jadyn Foster (Hannah), Carson James Zimmermann, Madalyn Bell Smith (Jon Austin), Julian Blake Bell, and Addison Claire Bell; great-granddaughter, Laikyn Claire Smith; and special uncle and dear friend, Wilfred Carter of Panama City, FL.

He will be remembered for his strength, his kindness, his stories, and the twinkle in his eye when he talked about his family or a good day’s hunt.

Thomas built a life worth admiring, one filled with love, purpose, and faith. His legacy will live on in the land he loved, the company he built, and the family who will forever be proud to call him theirs.

Honoring Thomas as pallbearers will be Julian Blake Bell, Thomas Jadyn Foster, James Carson Zimmermann, Todd Maddox, Jason Adams, and Paul Swearingen.

Serving as honorary pallbearers will be the employees of Bell Machine Company, the DPC Coffee Group, Alton Allen, Bo Blount, Cline Blount, James Burnette, Wilfred Carter, John Pettigrew, Cliff Smith, and Andy Yarbrough.

The family extends special thanks to the nursing staff in the Step-Down Unit at Willis Knighton Pierremont, Dr. Anthony Stuart, and Dr. Akbariah for their exceptional care and compassion.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, October 9, 2025 at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 1815 Marshall St., Shreveport, Louisiana. A visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 8, 2025. Burial will be held at Centuries Memorial Park in Shreveport, Louisiana. Officiating the service will be Reverend Dennis Aaron, Reverend Carlton Gilmer and Reverend Scott Camp.