Dwight Ambrose Bell

Dwight Ambrose Bell, 96, was called to his heavenly home on May 2, 2024.  Born the youngest of three sons to Robert D. and Jessie E. (Nightingale) Bell in rural Kingston, Michigan, he was a resident of Lansing and Okemos most of his life until health issues forced a recent move to the Grand Rapids area.  A devotee of history, he was a part of history himself, being in the last class that attended old Central High and being in that first group of students that entered new, unfinished Sexton High in February 1943.  He was a civil engineering graduate of Michigan State College in 1949.  He cut his last college class to marry the love of his life, the former Dorothy Allen of Mayville, a marriage that lasted 69 years.  To this union was born a daughter, Susan, now Mrs. Phillip Race of Hudsonville, who, with Phil, have been Dwight’s care-givers since 2020.  After college graduation, Dwight began working as a design engineer for the then Michigan State Highway Department. He retired in 1989 after 40 years of service, including credit for two years in the military. While with MDOT, he defended it in nearly three dozen accident suit trials, which he continued in a consultant role for ten years beyond retirement.

In the last year before retiring he was asked to contribute to a chapter on roadside safety in a national publication used by all the states.  He thus ended a 65-year career in the highway industry, beginning as a 19-year-old surveyor and ending in 2011 as part of a combined government-industry team evaluating award-winning asphalt pavements.   A person of many interests, he had a fascination with aviation, something that began at age four.  Dwight and Dorothy first joined South Baptist Church in 1949. In 1952 that church asked some of its members to help rescue a failing Russian Baptist church in Lansing’s north end.  At 25, Dwight was church treasurer of what became Calvary Baptist Church.  Dwight went on to serve for 60 years holding various church offices and responsibilities. Forced to relocate, he resigned as board secretary of the Spanish American Mission, which supports pastors and builds churches in Mexico, something close to his heart since 1949.  He was currently a member of South Church and an associate member of Community Bible Church, near the U.P. family cottage in Strongs. MI.  He was preceded in death by his wife “Dot”, his parents, older brothers and wives, Preston (Eileen) and Donald (Maxine), and was the last surviving of 45 blood relatives of his generation.  He is survived by daughter Susan (Phil) Race, grandchildren Nathan (Cierra) Race, Morgan (fiancé, Jonathan Evans), and Austin Race, and one great-granddaughter, Myra, along with several nieces and nephews.  Services will be held Thursday May 9, 2024 at South Church, Lansing, Michigan with visitation beginning at 10:00 am, followed by a service at 11:00 am.  Burial will take place at Summit Cemetery in Williamston, MI.  Memorial contributions may be made to Spanish American Mission, 118 E. Exchange St., Spring Lake, MI 49456, or to South Church.

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