Ed Bell, an award-winning journalist and community volunteer, died this week of complications from heart disease and diabetes. He was 84. He was the husband of Barbara (Michaud) Bell and father of Andrea (Bell) Bergeron and the late Jennifer Ann Bell.
Bell had a distinguished 50-year career in newspapers, broadcasting and wire service where he led coverage of some of the most memorable stories of the late 20th century. He co-founded and was co-chair of the Marblehead News Group, Inc. which publishes the weekly Marblehead Current. He was chairman of the editorial board. He retired as chief of bureau for the Associated Press in Boston, responsible for coverage of the 2004 Democratic National Convention and the first Red Sox World Series win in more than 80 years. In 1982, he was one of the early travelers to China joining Mayor Kevin White and a delegation of prominent Bostonians on a cultural exchange and sister cities mission. He also traveled to Japan.
Bell and his family enjoyed weekends at Bretton Woods where they had a second home for skiing in the winter and golf in the summer. They entertained family and friends there extensively. He was extremely interested in his children’s education and served three terms on the Danvers School Committee. He was chairman during Andrea’s senior year and honored to sign and present her diploma along with those of her classmates.
Prior to becoming AP chief of bureau for Southern New England, he spent eight years at the AP in Washington, D.C., where he was director of television membership.
Before his retirement, Bell moved to Marblehead and became active in local affairs. He served as chairman of the Marblehead Council on Aging and treasurer of Marblehead Community Access and Media. He hosted a panel show on MHTV called “Up for Discussion.” He was a trustee of the Boston Yacht Club where he also served on the race committee. In 2019, he was named Marblehead’s Rey Moulton Person of the Year.
During his career, Bell won several awards including the Edward R. Murrow National Award for broadcast reporting and the American Bar Association silver gavel certificate for reporting on the courts. He was a member of the Academy of New England Journalists where he won the prestigious Yankee Quill Award for his contributions to local journalism.
Bell began his career as a reporter for the Salem News. He was news director of WBZ-AM where he led coverage of the Boston school desegregation in 1974. He was news director of WHDH-AM and managing editor of WHDH-TV. He co-chaired the broadcast pool for the visit of Pope John Paul II to Boston. He was a 32nd degree Mason, and member of Philanthropic Lodge. He was a Shriner and Rotarian. He was a Paul Harris Fellow, the highest award a Rotary Club can give. He was a member of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church where he served as a Eucharistic visitor and delegate to the 2018 Diocesan Convention.
Born in Peabody, he was the son of the late Stuart and Helen (Spence) Bell. He was the brother of Marcia (Bell) Spinale and the late Nancy L. Bell. He is survived by his wife, Barbara. His daughter, Andrea and son-in-law, Michael Bergeron of Andover. Their daughter, Jennifer, was killed by a drunk driver in 1987.
There will be a wake on Sunday, Jan. 26, 1-5 p.m., at the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St., Peabody. The funeral will be Monday, Jan. 27, 10 a.m., at St. Andrew’s Church, 135 Lafayette St., Marblehead, with burial following at Walnut Grove Cemetery in Danvers. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Marblehead Current and Friends of the Marblehead Council on Aging.
