Mr. Michael "Mike" Bell

Michael “Mike” Bell passed away suddenly on Monday, May 4, 2020 at Sentara Hospital in Hampton, VA. He was 63 years old. Mike grew up in Newark, NJ. He moved to Virginia years later and obtained a degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Thomas Nelson Community College (TNCC) in Hampton, VA. He started work at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA as a Mechanical Engineering Technician before he graduated from TNCC. During his NASA career, Mike worked in various wind tunnels, fabricated delicate instruments and test articles, invented testing apparatuses for wind tunnels, and maintained calibration records for NASA’s instrumentation. Mike retired from NASA Langley Research Center with 38 years of service. He subsequently worked at the Langley AFB Base Exchange.

Mike loved his family, swimming and playing tennis. He served as a dedicated member of the Hampton Roads Chapter of the National Technical Association (NTA) for over 25 years. Mike was the founder of the NTA Tennis Open, held annually since 1998 to raise money for our scholarship fund. He was invaluable in helping to manage logistics, particularly design and procurement of trophies and T-shirts, and as a facility worker and tournament helper. He was always ready to assist wherever he was needed. Mike also participated in many other NTA projects and programs that helped steer underrepresented youth towards careers in STEM. Mike was a member of Calvary Community Church, C3, in Hampton, Virginia. He will be truly missed.

He was preceded in death by his father Abraham A. Bell and sister Teresa Bell Hamilton.

He is survived by his mother Lillie C. Bell of New Jersey, son Abraham Bell and his mother Jennifer Bell of Hampton, V.A., nephew Daniel Bell (Delphine) of New Jersey, special cousin Glenda Woods (James) of Baltimore, M.D. and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. 

On Saturday, May 16, 2020, Viewing and Tributes will take place at C.C. Carter Funeral Home, 3314 Roanoke Avenue, Newport News, VA from 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.  We will live stream the entire event at the link below.  We will start the Tributes session at 1:30 p.m. 

If you wish present a tribute in person or from the comfort of your home, please email me your name, cell number and email address by Friday, May 15th or earlier.  We will test the integration of the tributes in the live stream on Friday, May 15, 2020 to make sure everything works. 

The family thanks each and everyone for their kind words and prayers. May God always bless you. 

Interment is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at Rosedale Cemetery, 340 Orange Road, Orange, NJ 07050.

It is the desire of the Bell family that you keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

The family of Mr. Michael Bell has entrusted his final care to the staff of C.C. Carter Funeral Home, Inc.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mr. Michael "Mike" Bell, please visit our floral store.