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Louis P. Bell, 82, of the Cedar Grove section of Whitemarsh Township, died Wednesday, Feb. 18. 2004 at his residence.
Mr. Bell was born in Philadelphia on Sept. 15, 1921. He was the son of the late Walter and the late Helen (Youngblood) Bell. He served in the Air Force as a 1st Lieutenant during WW2.
He was a savings and loan executive in the Philadelphia area. He spent nearly 40 years at the helm of the Hamilton Reliance Savings Association, retiring as its president when the association merged with Central Pennsylvania Financial Corporation in 1989. Based first in Mt. Airy and later in Norristown, Hamilton Reliance, under Mr. Bell’s leadership, was known as an activist lender, providing access to credit for borrowers in Germantown and Mt. Airy in an era when other institutions avoided these neighborhoods.
Mr. Bell was a leader in his industry, serving as president of the Pennsylvania Savings and Loan League, and as director to the Pittsburgh Federal Home Loan Bank Board and the National Savings and Loan League.
Mr. Bell’s knowledge and experience in mortgage banking led to consulting assignments on behalf of the United Nations and the Agency for International Development in Liberia and Egypt, where he advised on the establishment of American-style mortgage banking.
He graduated from Germantown High School in 1939. He attended St. Joseph’s College on a full scholarship, graduating magna cum laude in March, 1943. He immediately entered the Army Air Force, serving in Italy with the 461st Bombardment Group, 764th Squadron. He studied economics in a graduate program at Temple University until, as an Air Force reservist, he was called back to duty during the Korean War. He later taught economics at St. Joseph’s College.
He was a member of the St. Phillip Neri parish in Lafayette Hill for 53 years.
His wife of 41 years, Leonie Hagerty Bell, died in 1996. He is survived by seven children including four daughters: Miriam T. Niessen Ledwith of Fort Washington; Regina B. Haffner of Princess Anne, MD; Lauren B. Porter of West Warwick, RI and Elaine B. Susko of Conshohocken. Three sons: George J. Bell of Bellwood; David J. Bell of Los Angeles, CA and Nicholas J. Bell of Conshohocken.
He is also survived by one sister, Ann Lunney of Flourtown and two brothers: Walter Bell of Cedar City, UT and John Bell of Brevard, NC.
He was preceded in death by brothers Richard J. Bell and Joseph Bell.
Mr. Bell is also survived by 10 grandchildren: Nicole, Jennifer, Daniell, Matthew, Natalie, Aaron, Sarah, Daniel, Nicolas and Leonardo.
Memorial Funeral Mass will be held Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2004 at 11 a.m. in the Saint Phillip Neri Church, 437 Ridge Pike, Lafayette Hill. Friends may call Tuesday from 9:30-11 a.m. at the church.
Burial will be private at Calvary Cemetery in West Conshohocken.
Contributions may be made to Saint Joseph’s University, attention: The Development Office, 5600 City Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131.
Funeral arrangements are by the Lownes Funeral Home of Lafayette Hill and East Norriton.

By Rick