R. Stewart "Stew" Bell, age 93, of Washington, Iowa, passed away Saturday, March 8, 2014, at the United Presbyterian Home.

Memorial services will be held 2:00 p.m. Saturday, March 15, 2014, at the main dining room of the United Presbyterian Home with Rev. Kitch Shatzer officiating. The family will be present to receive friends from 1:00 until 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. Interment will take place at Elm Grove Cemetery at a later date. Military honors conducted by Washington American Legion Post 29 will be accorded in conjunction with the memorial service. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established for the United Presbyterian Home, Hospice of Washington County or the charity of the donor's choice. The Jones & Eden Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be sent for Stew's family through the web at www.jonesfh.com .

Stew was born June 22, 1920, on a farm outside of Fillmore, Saskatchewan, Canada, the son of J. Russell and Blanche (Stewart) Bell. He attended school in Washington, Iowa, and graduated from Washington High School. He was united in marriage to Margery A. Means on September 5, 1941 in Washington, Iowa. She preceded him in death in 2004 after 63 years of marriage.

Stew was a proud World War II Navy Veteran where he served honorably from 1942 until 1946. He served aboard the U.S.S. Pennsylvania as a Second Class Fire Controlman. He was a member of the United Presbyterian Church and the Masonic Lodge.

Stew's career was spent working in the newspaper business, starting by delivering papers for the Washington Evening Journal as an eight year old, to working for McCleery Cumming Calendar Factory and later owning and operating small weekly newspapers in Lone Tree and Riverside, Iowa.

He is survived by a daughter, Carmen Sipes and husband George of Hayward, Wisconsin; son, Jim Bell and wife Linda of Phoenix, Arizona; grandchildren, Tim Sipes and wife Lynn of Pleasant Valley, Iowa; Shannon Clendon and husband Mark of Chehalis, Washington; Christopher and Ryan Bell of Phoenix, Arizona; a great grandson, Dylan Sipes and wife Savanna and one great great grandson, Lennox Sipes of Davenport, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife.