Steve Bell

NORWAY – Surrounded by his wife, son, and granddaughters, Steve Bell concluded a life well lived on March 8, 2025. Steve was born in Rocky Mount, NC, to his parents, Don and Margaret Dozier Bell, on May 6, 1946.

He attended Aurora University, where he met his wife, Mimi. They were happily joined at the hip for 59 years, raising their son, John, surrounded by love. In 1976, they embraced a new chapter, moving to Maine and purchasing ServiceMaster Fire & Water Restoration covering western Maine as well as Lewiston-Auburn. Steve devoted himself to helping families and businesses rebuild in the wake of disasters, leaving a lasting impact on the community he served.

Steve and Mimi shared a passion for adventure, which led them to establish CAN-AM Wheelers, a bicycling tour company that explored the breathtaking landscapes of Atlantic Canada, including Newfoundland and Labrador. Steve as an Eagle Scout, embraced every opportunity to cycle, hike, ski, camp, hunt, and kayak. When he wasn’t exploring the great outdoors, he could often be found immersed in a good book, fueling his love for learning and discovery.

For many years, he also enjoyed being around great friends who gathered to play a hand of bridge or share gourmet gatherings.

Time at “Camp” was hunting with great friends; Ralph Moulton, Arnie Pendexter, and Steve Cairns. What they cherished most was the camaraderie of their time, where their trips were planned around meals (steak), drinks (scotch), and many stories at the night’s end.

Steve also hiked with his son from an early age. They frequently hiked the Presidential Range together, traveling above the tree line and staying overnight in snow-covered sleeping bags.

With Mimi, Steve upgraded from a tent to a camper, which they used to travel to the Port of Canaveral. The pair found joy in watching rocket launches and walking along the shore, admiring the sun as it rose and set. Their travels took them all the way to the Yukon, Alaska, and the western National Parks. They frequently chose the backroads to enjoy all the sights, sounds, and stories of the people they met.

Steve felled and milled all the trees from their land to build his family’s home in Norway. Much of the furniture within the home was handcrafted by Steve. The home was filled with a surplus of love and laughter, as Steve centered his life around his family, especially his two granddaughters.

Steve is survived by his wife, Mimi, of Norway; his son, John Bell and daughter-in-law Tami Bell of Banner Elk, NC; his granddaughters, Emily Bell of Chapel Hill, NC, and Natalie Bell, and grandson-in-law, Grant Swanner of Dallas, Texas; his sisters, Sherry (Bell) Bubar and brother-in-law Gene Bubar of Brunswick, and Dozier Bell and brother-in-law, Ken Greenleaf of Waldoboro; his brother, John Bell and sister-in-law Donna Bell of Waterford; along with his many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at Chandler Funeral Home, 1037 Main St., Oxford, on Thursday, March 13, at 2 p.m. Online condolences may be shared with his family at http://www.chandlerfunerals.com

In lieu of flowers,

the family requests that donations be made to:

Paris Public Library

37 Market Square

South Paris, ME 04281

in memory of Steve’s lifelong passion of reading and community