- Date Of Death: August 7, 2019
- State: Colorado
Bernard (Bernie) White Bell Jr., 70, died August 7th, 2019 at 5:00pm in a fatal car crash outside of Conifer, Colorado. Bernard was born November 11, 1948 in Charlotte, North Carolina to Bernard White Bell Sr. and Dorthoy Grey Jonhson Bell. Bernard graduated from John Overton High School in Nashville, TN. He received a Bachelors of Science degree with distinction with a double major in Astronomy and Physics, Masters of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy in Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona in May of 1985. Bernard married Linda Woodruff Wendnagel in 1977.
It was during his time in Tucson that he picked up the art and sport of climbing, becoming a regular at Campbell Cliffs and day climbing in the Catalina Mountains. He also took his first trip to Peru and Machu Picchu, where his love of archeology and astronomy came together. Bernard spent many years studying the ancient Incan observatories throughout Peru, his research leading him primarily to the Vilcabamba region. He returned from his final trip to Peru in July of 2019 and was eager to publish his successful discoveries.
Bernard had a sense of adventure and a thirst for knowledge.
