Obituary

Daniel "Dan" Bell, whose background was intertwined with the Pendleton Round-up from its inception, died this morning at St. Anthony Hospital. Bell, 82, was the first chairman of the Round-Up Hall of Fame, was for 8 years Round-Up director in charge of the Westward HO! Parade, was the Dress-Up parade director and was president of the Main Street Cowboys.
He was grand marshal of the Westward Ho! Parade in 1977. In 1955, Bell received the Outstanding Community Service Award, and he received the Pendleton First Citizen Award in 1968.
Bell, a lifelong resident of Pendleton, had attended every Pendleton Round-p since the western show was inaugurated in 1910. He worked for the Round=Up Association's parade department when he was 15, and continued to be active in some aspect of the show through last September.
Bell farmed until he was 75. Since then he'd spent several weeks each year maintain and repairing the wagons, reapers, carts, etc., that are used in the Westward Ho! Parade. He was considered an authority on the historical items belonging to the Round-Up Association.
The Pendleton Round-Up Hall of Fame, the first of its kind by an individual western show came into being in 1969 and Bell was chairman for the first two years. He was Main Street Cowboy president in 1959 and was a lifetime director.
Bell seved 6 years on the Mustanger board of directors and 6 years as a parade director for the Chamber of Commerce, which at that, time had charge of the Dress-Up parade. He also was president of the Pioneer Memorial Association in 1964.
During his years as parade director for the Round-Up (1951-59), Bell worked up a new opening of the show and introduction of queen and court, and his inception is the dramatic opening and entrance of the court that Round-Up spectators now see each four days of the September rodeo.
Bell was Oct 3, 1899, to Dan K. and Annie McKinnon Bell. He attended Oregon State University and also a business in Walla Walla. He was married to Dorothy Overholt March 3, 1923, at Walla Walla. He was a member of the Pendleton Elks Lodge. Surviving besides his wife is his sister Jessie M. Bell, Pendleton.
The funeral will be 10 am Wednesday at Folsom-Bishop Funeral Chapel. Internment will be in Olney Cemetery.
Published 23 Aug 1983 Eastern Oregonian