Stephen Scott Bell

Steve died December 10, leaving an indelible mark on so many family and friends who knew him as a true Renaissance Man. He was born and raised in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where his dad introduced him at an early age to the joys of flying airplanes. After high school Steve enlisted in the Marines and served four years at Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, NC. While serving, he married Carolyn Sawyer, also of Oshkosh, beginning a marriage that lasted 56 years, until Steve's death at age 77. He attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he was a member of Psi Upsilon fraternity and where he earned a BS, MS and ultimately a Doctorate Degree. He and Carolyn have two children, Jeffrey Bell and Catherine Bales, wife of Robert. Steve worked for many years as Director of Research and Development for Badger Meter Company of Milwaukee, a career path that eventually led him and his family to Tulsa. But Steve's love of teaching called and soon he began a 25-year career as Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at OSU, a position he held until his death. Throughout his life, Steve pursued a variety of activities and intellectual pursuits reaching far beyond his career interests. While living near Lake Michigan in Wisconsin, he taught himself and his family how to sail; he became SCUBA certified, was a member of Wisconsin's Cascade Mountain Ski Patrol and began a lifelong active involvement with the Boy Scouts of America. He studied aviation, receiving both his VFR and IFR certifications, qualifying him as a flight instructor. He built and flew two experimental aircraft and joined the elite Quiet Birdmen, a national organization of skilled pilots. He was an accomplished pianist with a deep knowledge of classical music; he was also a master craftsman who created many beautifully-inlaid harpsichords, clavichords and classical guitars. He loved skydiving and performed more than 100 jumps; he was an avid reader, distance runner and motorcycle enthusiast. He was also a member of the Tulsa Police Reserves for 34 years, a job he loved. He was his family's genealogist, and to that end took many trips to Scotland and England as he researched family history back several centuries; as part of that process, Steve learned to speak and read Gaelic. Perhaps most importantly and driven by his strong Christian faith, Steve became a Biblical scholar, learning Hebrew and some Aramaic; he traveled numerous times to Israel in an attempt to better understand Jesus and the life and times in which he lived. He and his wife were members of John Knox Presbyterian Church in Tulsa, where Steve became an Elder and both Steve and Carolyn enjoyed singing in the choir. In addition to his wife and children, he leaves a sister, Brenda Becker of Edina, MN, three grandchildren -- Stephanie, Alicia and Kyle, and three great-grandchildren --Andrew Bell, Grace Ann and Sophia Elizabeth. He was preceded in death by his parents and one older brother, Ronald. A memorial service to celebrate Steve's life will be held Saturday, December 19th at 2:00 p.m. at John Knox Presbyterian Church, 2929 E. 31st Street, Tulsa. Memorials in lieu of flowers to American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22478, Oklahoma City, OK 73123.

Stephen Scott Bell

February 22, 1938 - December 10, 2015