Gregory Clare Bell
On June 26, 1972, after a brief delay due to Hurricane Agnes, Greg married his high school sweetheart, Jane Ann Harris who survives. In the home that he built, they celebrated nearly 53 years of marriage and raised five children while welcoming nine grandchildren and their first great-grandchild earlier this year.
After high school, Greg began working summers for the county surveyor, Robert M. Hulings, as a surveyor’s apprentice. He soon moved to Delaware with his wife, where he taught physics, chemistry and photography at Delmar Jr. Sr. High School.
Returning to Pennsylvania in 1975, he was the surveying party chief for E & M Surveying and obtained his surveyor’s license before transitioning to the position of district surveyor for Quaker State Oil Refining Corp.
Upon the company’s exit from Bradford in 1986, and with their fifth child on the way, Greg made the bold step of starting his own company, Heritage Surveys, in which he was licensed in both Pennsylvania and New York and became renowned for his work in the public and private sectors. The company’s success allowed him to work until his retirement.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Greg was called to civic duty where he proudly served on local boards and held various offices on the McKean County Planning Commission, the McKean County Solid Waste Authority, the North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Council, the McKean County Conservation District, the North Central Chapter of the Pennsylvania Society of Land Surveyors and Hamlin Bank Advisory Board, Eldred Branch. He was also a member of the McKean County Historical Society and the Barbershop Harmony Society (formerly SPEBSQSA), where he served terms as director of the Olean, Chapter and assistant director of the Salamanca, N.Y. Chapter.
He was a regular attendant of St. Raphael’s Parish and was a cantor on most Sundays.
Music was just one of his many passions. Greg also enjoyed golfing, hiking, photography and spending time on the water canoeing and waterskiing. He was an avid traveler, both locally and abroad, and he was fond of cruises and drives in his Corvette with Jane. He was happiest, however, hosting gatherings and spending time with family.
Surviving in addition to his wife are his children, Stephen (Amy) Bell of Eldred, Erin (Dan) Waugaman of Olean, Nathan (Meaghan) Bell of Hornell, N.Y., Sarah (Brenda) Hunter-Bell of Livingston, Texas and Charles Andrew (Heather) Bell of Bradford; grandchildren, Zazeric, Harris and Adelyn Bell, Elizabeth (Micah Osby) and Gabrielle Waugaman, Jackson and Benjamin Bell and Tenley and Liam Bell; great-granddaughter, Malania Osby; sister, Sue (Ed) McFadden; and two brothers, Griffith (Nancy) Bell and Jeffrey (Jennifer) Bell; along with the several nieces and nephews.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by an infant sister, Linda.
Visitation will be held from 3:30 to 7 p.m. Monday (June 16, 2025) at St. Mary’s Catholic Church Sartwell, 630 Newell Creek Road., Eldred. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday (June 17, 2025) from St. Mary’s Sartwell, with the Rev. Thomas Brown as celebrant and the Rev. Brian Vossler as concelebrant. Burial will be in Moody Hollow Cemetery.
In Greg’s honor, memorials may be made to the McKean County Historical Society, McKean Visiting Nurses Assoc., or St. Raphael’s Parish.
Online condolences may be made at www.hartle-tarboxfuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Hartle-Tarbox Funeral Homes, Inc., Smethport.
