John Lee Bell

John Lee Bell, 87, a lifelong resident of Pampa, passed away on November 2, 2022, at his home in Pampa with his family and loyal caregivers at his side.

Memorial services will be 2:00 PM, Saturday, November 5, 2022 at Carmichael-Whatley Colonial Chapel with Rev. Byron Williamson, pastor of First Baptist Church, officiating. Private burial will be in Fairview Cemetery. Arrangements and burial are under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors and Crematory of Pampa.

John Lee was born on November 16, 1934 in Pampa. He was the grandson of John and Edda Lee Haggard and the son of  Mildred Bell. John Lee attended school in Miami and Pampa. He graduated from Kemper Military Institute, where he was a member of the golf and wrestling teams.  He married his high school sweetheart, Anita Southard, on August 5, 1955 in Pampa, they celebrated 66 years of marriage and raised three children together. Anita preceded John Lee in death on October 7, 2021.

John Lee attended Oklahoma A & M University, now Oklahoma State University. During his senior year, John Lee was accidently shot while quail hunting and it changed his and Anita’s lives forever. John Lee spent the next two years in Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, where he underwent more than a dozen surgeries to attempt to save his vision. To the day he passed, he still carried a lead shot in each eye. John Lee did not let this disability hold him back. He was a successful realtor, a partner in Wilson-Bell Drug, rancher, and businessman. He was a director and stockholder of Citizen’s Bank and Trust.

In the 1970’s, he built the Horn B Game Ranch near Hedley, Texas. John Lee’s passion was entertaining the thousands of guests at the Horn B over the many years he owned the ranch. He had numerous exotic game animals such as Aoudad sheep, bison, ostrich, numerous species of deer, and even a camel.

John Lee was a lifelong member of First Baptist Church.

John Lee was preceded in death by his wife Anita; son, Bret M. Bell; grandparents, John and Edda Lee Haggard; mother, Mildred Bell; brother, Charles Ronald Bell; and grandson, William Vise.

His survivors include two daughters, Brooke DeFever and husband Lance of Pampa, and Brenda Brown of Lawton, OK; a daughter-in-law, Cathey Bell of Pampa; three granddaughters, Halley Roberson and husband Dustin, and Maurey Bell- Thomas and husband Phil, and Erin Christianson and husband Jeremiah; five grandsons, Matt Bell and wife Brittany, Andrew Brown and wife Kami, Ethan DeFever and wife Aubrey, Reed DeFever and wife Heidi, and Spencer DeFever; 15 greatgrandchildren, Brayden, Brailey, Brenden, Rowdy, EddaLee, Kyndal, Owen, Ross, Rooney, Alyssa, Jacey, William Lance, Madelain, and Blayke; and other extended family.

The family would like to express deep gratitude to John Lee’s caregivers: Brenda Calixto, LeAnn Landers, Carol Jimenez, Carolina Sanchez, Leti Salazar, Mary Gillenwater, and Esther Rodriguez. The family wants you all to know how appreciative they are of the care and love you extended to John Lee. Also, a special thank you to Shane Bridwell for his many years of friendship and care as his personal physical therapist for many years.

Memorial can be made to P.A.W.S., P.O. Box 2095, Pampa, Texas 79066.