Daryl Allen Bell 's Obituary
Baseball. Tennis. Golf. Those were just three of the sports he excelled in. An all-around athlete, you name it and he could play it and play it well. A natural talent, whatever he set his mind to do, he could do it. In his profession, he was a master drywaller who caught on quickly and ultimately could perform any aspect of the construction business, if he put his mind to it. Daryl was one of the best in the business. And he loved doing it.
Born on August 9, 1957 to John Wycliff Bell and Helen Joyce Jordan Bell Owens, Daryl was the middle child of three children. Growing up, he was a curious young lad who grew bored quickly when he realized he could outsmart those he was supposed to look up to and learn from. Needless to say, this epiphany landed him in many uncompromising situations.
Although not a scholar, he was a brilliant student of information who loved learning. With a photographic memory, he had a passion for reading, and more often than not, would share random facts that always made you think. Daryl loved to tell stories. And you could be sure 50% of every story was true. You just never knew which 50%.
Thelonious Monk, Bohannon, Jimi Hendrix and Gil Scott-Heron were his musical heroes. All pioneers in their own right. Daryl was also a pioneer when it came to golfing. After honing his skills, he encouraged and taught those around him how to appreciate and play the game. He became the Pied Piper of Golf in the South East San Diego community.
Daryl lived life in his own way. And his fashion sense was one of a kind. Mixing textures, patterns and colors seemed odd to some, but to him he was a trendsetter. He was a Hustler and proud of it. Whether he was at the Del Mar Racetrack or playing skins on the golf course, he would always come home flashing the cash he won earlier and provided details on how he won it. In between his many adventures, Daryl dabbled in modeling and acting and made appearances in numerous commercials and several films.
Charming, charismatic and witty, Daryl was a character who had a knack for entertaining people with his clever sense of humor. He was the guy that you loved to hate. Even when he did something to make you mad, as most certainly he would, you couldn’t stay mad for long even if you tried. And just like that, Daryl would have you engaged with him on his next escapade before you knew it.
Daryl cherished his friends and gained many of them throughout the years. If you were fortunate enough to be “friended” by Daryl, consider yourself lucky because you now have a friend for life. Anyone who knows him can testify that he was a Cannabis Connoisseur. He smoked religiously all throughout the day and if you were around him, he would insist that you join in. He was an avid animal lover and always had a dog nearby with a unique name. Of course, there was a story behind the name which, more often than not, came from one of the books he read.
Family meant everything to him and he was very protective of those he loved and had care and concern for. How would you know if he loved you? By the countless random gifts he’d give you. Trust me, you’ll know. He was a kind person with a big heart and enjoyed spoiling you, if he could.
When Daryl left for his final round at the Cloud 9 Country Club in the sky, he left behind his wife, Leina; his son and daughter Adonis and Alexi; his step-children Kevia and Kevin Grant; his grandsons Kaine and KJ and his granddaughter Phoenix; his brother, Donald (Peggy) Bell; his sisters DeAndrea (Horace) Ford and Doree Bell Henry; his nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and friends. And a special cousin, his sidekick and Ace Boon Coon, Ronald Jordan, also known as “Five O.”
Daryl was golfing with Payne Stewart when they were struck by lightning and killed while putting on the18th hole at Sycuan Casino and Resort. Or maybe not. We all know how he liked to tell stories.
We will miss you and think of you every time we tee off. Fore!
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