Paul Luther Bell Md

Paul Luther Bell, MD, 97, of Sylvania, OH, passed away July 15, 2012 at Aspen Grove Assisted Living Residence in Lambertville, MI, after a long illness, his immediate family in attendance. Dr. Bell was born on November 13, 1914, in Toledo, Ohio, the son of the late Dr. Alvin E. Bell, DD, former pastor of Glenwood Lutheran Church, and Nola E. Bair. He was the second child and oldest son of three sons and two daughters. After graduating from Scott High School in Toledo, he attended Wittenberg College in Springfield, OH graduating in 1936 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. That same year he entered the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine where he attained a Doctor of Medicine degree in 1946. He completed his internship at Cincinnati General Hospital in 1942. He entered the US Army Air Force in October 1942 as a first lieutenant and was attached to the 380th Squadron of the 451st bomb group, serving in Egypt, North Africa and Italy. After discharge in February 1946, he completed an internal medicine residency at Miami Valley Hospital in Toledo, where he met Patricia A. Fought. They were married August 30, 1946 in Toledo, Ohio. Following completion of a residency in pulmonary medicine at the Oakland County Tuberculosis Hospital in Pontiac, MI, he entered private practice in Toledo in 1950, specializing in diseases of the chest. He held medical staff appointments at Toledo, Mercy, Flower, St. Vincent, St. Charles, and Riverside hospitals. He was a staff member of the former Oak Ridge Tuberculosis Sanatorium, Green Springs, OH and director of out-patient chest clinics for Hancock, Seneca, Wood, and Fulton Counties for several years. He retired from active medical practice in 1984, A Toledo pioneer in his chosen field, he founded pulmonary function laboratories at The Toledo Hospital, Flower Hospital and St. Luke's Hospital. He was the Medical Director of Respiratory Services and Pulmonary Function at St. Luke's Hospital. He established the cardiac perfusion team for open heart surgery at Toledo Hospital in the 1950s, directing the program for more than twenty five years, and developed a training program for perfusionists. Dr. Bell was a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians, a member of the National Association of Medical Directors of Respiratory Care and a clinical associate professor of medicine at the old Medical College of Ohio at Toledo. He served as an examiner for the determination of disability under the "Black Lung" program of the Department of Labor, an examiner for the Bureau of Disability Determination of the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission, and provided similar services to the State of Michigan. He performed Social Security disability evaluations, and served as a pulmonary disease consultant for the Industrial Commission of Ohio and various insurance companies and attorneys. He is survived by his wife, Patricia of Sylvania; three daughters Priscilla Bell of Chicago, IL, Laurie Bell (Charlie Saylor) of Bluffton, OH, and Amy Hering (Jim) of Sylvania; two sons, Stephen Bell (Patricia) of Ft. Thomas, KY, and Kevin Bell of Manitou Beach, MI; four grandchildren, Paul Bell of Ft. Thomas, KY, Maggie Patrick (Martin) of Oxford, OH, Laurie Kathleen Saylor of Glasgow, Scotland, Mitchell Hering of Sylvania; three step-grandchildren; and four step-great grandchildren. Dr. Bell was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Ruth Harris and Lois Cole, and brothers George Bell and Alvin Bell, Jr. The family will receive friends at the Bersticker-Scott Funeral Home 3453 Heatherdowns Blvd at Byrne Rd on Thursday July 19, 2012 from 4-8 P.M. A celebration of life service will be held on Friday July 20, 2012 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church 1825 Glendale Ave Toledo, Ohio at 11:00 A.M. the family will receive friends after 10:30 A.M. A private burial service will take place at Toledo Memorial Park Cemetery in Sylvania. The family wishes to thank Promedica Erie West Hospice in caring for Dr. Bell in his remaining days. Memorials to be made can be made to Promedica Erie West Hospice or to the Charity of the Donor's Choice. Please view and sign Dr. Bell's condolence page at Berstickerscottfuneralhome.com

Visitation Details

Thursday, July 19th, 2012 4:00pm - 8:00pm, Bersticker-Scott Funeral Home

Service Information

Friday, July 20th, 2012 11:00am, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church

Interment Details

Toledo Memorial Park Cemetery