The many facets of late councillor Bob Bell's life brought the image of a man who lived a full, successful life, who loved his family and considered many to be his friend.
Bell died suddenly while vacationing in Chile last month. He was 67.
A large crowd of family, friends and colleagues gathered at city hall Saturday afternoon to exchange some of their fondest memories of the late councillor.
In the public eye, Bell spent 16 years as a member of city council in Ward 1.
Mayor Cam Guthrie recalled the first time he ever met Bell, at the elevator heading up to a city council meeting.
"He yelled at me, and he said 'what are you doing,'" Guthrie said. "I said 'I'm just going in the elevator to go up to the meeting.'"
Bell's response? "Always take the stairs."
It was a phrase Guthrie repeated multiple times in his comments to the crowd.
He remembered Bell as someone offering advice, and seen as a fierce advocate for active transportation and dealing with the housing shortage for the city's most vulnerable residents.
But it's one thing to talk about it. Guthrie said Bell went the extra mile, remembering a time Bell pulled out graph paper to explain a project he needed his vote for at council.
"He had it all dumbed down, right to the amount of feet that the transit buses needed to have turning radiuses," he said. "He had everything down. Why? Because Bob didn't just want to tell you about something. He wanted to take the stairs."
Guthrie spoke to the clear pride Bell took in Wike, the bicycle trailer and accessory company he founded in 1990.
Matt Hawkes of Wike told the crowd how generous he was with his time, whether it was teaching his employees about designs, patents, or even
"Bob was filled with pride of that shop at 150 Stevenson St. S.," Hawkes said.
"If you ever visited, for the first time I'm sure you would've gotten the grand tour of the building."
Hawkes asked staff about what they recall about Bell. He said the consensus was that he was kind, generous, a helpful and honest man, and a great employer.
"He took interest in us, and shared with us the advice for living our lives, both in and outside of work," he said. "These qualities were certainly recognized by all of his staff at Wike."
He said Bell would ride his bike to work, which gave him time to talk to neighbours and constituents along the way, calling him a "knowledgeable and community-minded person."
Bell's friend Carl Griffin said Bell cast a very wide net on who he considered a friend.
From the person in need, to someone wanting to play a game or go on an adventure.
"Bob viewed anybody in need as a friend," he said.
"If your drain was plugged, your tire was flat, you needed a tool, you needed a place to store your junk, you need a bike for a friend in town, your kid needs a summer job."
Raising funds for a good cause? Bob was your friend too.
Griffin talked of the many canoe trips, the motorcycle rides, sailing trips and camping trips Bell participated in.
"The stories are endless," he said. "If you hang out with Bob, there's going to be a story coming. Lots more stories to be told and those of us fortunate to call ourselves Bob's friend. We were lucky to see that."
Bob's niece and nephew Mimi and Pierre remembered their uncle for all the fun times they shared.
The many get togethers, Mimi said, uncle Robbie embraced the fun uncle role.
"Robbie's energy and enthusiasm was absolutely infectious," Mimi said. "He loved fun and making things fun for us especially. When we were kids, playing and goofing around in the backyard."
She shared how Bob would set up and encourage fun activities, including having a slip and slide, water guns or many backyard lawn games pop up out of nowhere.
"Robbie loved good fun, but he also liked to teach us the value of good competition," Pierre said with laughs coming from the crowd.
"When he would set up a croquet match, he too would jump into action. And he would play with us as competitively, as if we weren't kids, but we're the opponents. He was in it to win it."
The two also recalled that while he was the fun uncle, he would take an interest in their lives and take the time to catch up.
Bob's older brother Bill spoke on behalf of the family, recalling the fishing trips that brought the brothers "closer together than we had ever been growing up."
The two, separated by seven years, had countless memories on those trips and were grateful for that time.
"Gratitude is a foundation of a building block for a happy life, and pleasant memories," Bill said.
"Farewell Bob. Yours was a life well lived. I'm glad you were my brother. Thanks for the memories. You will be missed and remembered.
"We love you, and until we meet again, rest in peace."
