Robert Henry Bell

Biobraphy, Robert Henry Bell, Related to Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone.

I am Pamela Bell, Hul Wiesenberg, Robert Henry Bell's daughter, I am the Moderator, Owner, and Writer of his biography. Posted 08/22/2022, 09:15 PM.

My father was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on 04/09/1903. He moved to Fresno, California, at the age of 10, with his parents, Robert Henry Bell Sr, of Belfast, Ireland, and Jennifer Sebastian-Bell, of Barcelona, Spain.

After immigrating to the United States, and when younger, Robert Henry Bell Sr, owned and operated a fishing trawler in Monterey, California.

My father has a sister, Mildred Adams, married to Jim Adams, who owned a lumber yard, called Valley Lumbar Company, 1930-1958, located at McKinley & Chestnut Avenues; and their home was located at 551 Holland Avenue, Fresno. They are laid to rest in Belmont Memorial Park, on the southeast side, near the front of this park.

When young, my father and his family lived on Raisina Street in Fresno, which was located in a grouping of old, historical, victorian homes, at the corner of Ventura & R Streets. In the 1960's, those homes were torn down, and replaced by new ones.

At a very young age, my father decided that he wanted a career as a Radio Communications Technician. My father attended the historical, and vintage, Fresno Technical School, originally built in 1896, located at O & Stanislaus Streets in downtown Fresno. He graduated in 1921.

My father was very intelligent. At age 20, my father went to work as a Radio Communications Technician at San Joaquin Light & Power Company, constructed in 1923, which later became PGE/Pacific Gas & Electric Company of California. He was employed there from 1923-1960, 37 years. He worked on radio and base stations, and had his own territory, which included: Fresno, Chowchilla, Los Banos, Madera, Mariposa, and Merced. My father loved his career.

In his early 20's, my father married Ruth Iverson of Fresno. They had a daughter, Barbara Mae. They later divorced, and my father met and married Lillian P. Dillen, who was my mother.

In 1942, my father joined the United States Navy, and served two tours of duty in WWII, assisting in Radio Communications. After the war, he returned to his career at PGE.

When I was age 3, in 03/1954, Lillian passed away from Cancer.

My father then later married Irene Nilmeier of Sanger, California. Irene has a daughter, Loretta. Irene passed away in 1983.

My father had many hobbies. He was a skilled outdoorsman and swimmer who loved camping, canoeing, and white-water rafting. He loved history and the mountains, and was an excellent photographer of landscapes.

My father had rock polishing equipment, and enjoyed hunting for stones and making jewelry. He also had excellent leather-making skills in creating belts and wallets.

My father had a real estate license, and was skilled at construction. He built the homes that Barbara and I were raised in: 1815 N. Harrison Avenue and 1474 N. Fruit Avenue, Fresno. My father and his friends also built Radio Park, at the corner of First and Clinton Streets, Fresno.

In 1955, my father was not feeling well, and was later diagnosed with Cancer. He passed away on 07/28/1960.

My father was fun to be with, and had many friends in Fresno. He was an excellent husband to Irene; very decent, kind, and religious. He had a heart, and frequently helped people. I miss him very much.