Carl Bell passes away, leaving lasting impact on The Villages

Villager Carl Bell has passed away, leaving behind an indelible legacy on Florida’s Friendliest Hometown.

The 89-year-old died Friday evening under hospice care at his home in The Villages. He was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis five years ago and more recently learned he had lung cancer, according to his daughter, Debbie Mueller. Funeral arrangements are currently pending.

Bell was always full of energy, and from the time he moved to The Villages in 1994, he immersed himself in work to make the community a better place.

When he first arrived, residents were not permitted to drive golf carts after dark. Bell worked tirelessly to persuade county officials that Villagers were adults who should be empowered to drive their carts at night.

unnamed-1 — Carl Bell, standing, looks at an image from one of the gate cameras in The Villages. A lover of technology, he was always looking for ways to improve every facet of life for residents.

“You can drive your golf cart at night, and you can thank Carl Bell,” Ann Forrester, who served with Bell on the Amenity Authority Committee (AAC) for several years, noted in 2022.

AAC Chairman Don Deakin left presents a plaque to Carl Bell — AAC Chairman Don Deakin, lett, in 2022 presented a plaque to Carl Bell in recognition of his many years of service.

During his decades of leadership, Bell touched countless lives. His many accomplishments include:

Technology support: As an early member and vice president of the Computer Club, Bell used his technical skills to donate time, knowledge, and effort to local churches, local governments, the Developer, and residents. He served as the IT person for six different churches, including 17 years assisting St. Timothy Catholic Church.
CDD leadership: In 1995, Bell was asked to become the first resident to serve as a supervisor on the first Community Development District, taking over the seat of Developer Mark Morse as the board transitioned to resident control. While serving on the CDD 1 Board, Bell introduced the “moment of silence” before each meeting—a tradition now observed by all district boards.
First responder guides: In the early days of the community, before the invention of GPS, Villages maps were primitive. Bell worked closely with the Lady Lake Police Department and first responders to compile a comprehensive guidebook on how to navigate to every street during emergencies.
Sheriff’s office collaboration: He worked alongside then-Sumter County Sheriff Bill Farmer to create the agency’s first website, which featured a “BOLO” (Be On the Look Out) system. This system allowed law enforcement to maintain secure medical records without violating HIPAA privacy laws.
EMS and fire station advocacy: Serving as the at-large Sumter County representative to Lake-Sumter EMS, Bell organized and analyzed more than 230,000 data transactions regarding response times. His factual analysis ultimately proved the need for the Paradise Fire Station to better serve the Lady Lake portion of the community. He then worked with the fire chief to organize tax records to ensure the facility received its fair share of local revenue.
Community growth: Bell assisted the Property Owners’ Association (POA) and the Voice of Villages (VHA) in gifting a golf cart to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office to improve patrols at Spanish Springs Town Square. He also partnered with Sandy Mott and the VHA to successfully secure a “Certificate of Need” for a hospital—a primary dream of The Villages founder Harold Schwartz—which launched the first phase of The Villages Hospital.
Postal service expansion: Bell advised Developers Gary and Mark Morse that a single ZIP code could legally support two separate names, which paved the way for the community to secure its own full-service post office.
Charitable work: Bell was a dedicated volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, personally swinging a hammer to help build 18 local homes.