Name: James DeBell



Life Dates: 2/26/1929 - 3/25/2008



City Of Birth: Rochester, NY



Pre-deceased by

Predeceased by his father Joseph DeBell.



Survived by

. Survived by his loving wife of 51 years, C. Joyce DeBell; children Sandy (Scot Snover) DeBell, Debbie (Jim) Wehrle, Jim (Luane) DeBell Joe (Bettina) DeBell; grandchildren JJ, Nikole, Morgan, Dominic, Jacob "Tyger", Joshua Joey; mother Albina DeBell; sister Geraldine Lotta; several aunts, nieces, nephews cousins; many close friends, former students players.



History

Thank you for coming! We each are here today because we shared a different part of Jim De Bell/Dad`s life. We wanted to share with you some of our thoughts about him. The one common thread we have heard throughout Dad`s life and during his illness was what a difference Dad made in people`s lives. He was a beloved father to Sandy, Scot, Debbie, Jim, Jimmy, Luane, Joey and Bettina. He was adored by his grandchildren; JJ, Nikole, Morgan, Dominic, Tyger, Joshua and Joey. He was the soulmate to our mom Joyce for 51 years, the treasured brother to Gerry, adored by his Mother, Albina, idolized as a Coach and devoted friend to many of you. When Dad got sick, he loved the soups Debbie made him. He was so proud of watching his son Jim become an top officiating referee, he was grateful to Sandy for taking over his Coaches class for him and I(Joe) was the only one who could shave him when he became too sick to do it for himself. He loved the company of his cat Tiger and his bird Bernie and treated his son in law (Jim) and daughters in law (Luane and Bettina) as if they were his own blood children. Dad was known for being the best-dressed man in Rochester, NY. He loved to dress in vivid colors; reds, greens, blues and even purples and these often were his choices for suits, shoes, golf gloves, hats and even matching underwear! We know that Dad was extremely charismatic and you could not get into an elevator, play a round of golf, attend a ball game or even go out of town, without someone knowing him. Even if he wasn`t with you...once I (Joey) was in Florida and my Dad`s youngest grandson Joey was ill. When along came the Florida Technology Women`s Basketball team to visit children in the hospital over the Christmas holidays and low and behold their coach was a man who had played baseball for our father at Jefferson High School some 30 years before. Debbie said he was the first man she fell in love with. He was what she held as her standard for values, kindness, and enthusiasm of life. Being a child of his and having him, as your father, was a dream come true. A dream that became more cherished as the years have gone by. We will miss his phone calls to us every night after work to see how our day went and will miss his visits on Saturday for coffee or seeing him at his grandkids plays and sporting events. His love for living was contagious and you always wanted to be around him. He was the kind of grandfather kids really wanted as their Grandpa. He played with them, he stuck up for them, and he gave them his perspective when they screwed up, he slipped them money, and he took them for a ride in his mustang convertible. Grandpa was "cool" to all of them. Jimmy and I(Joe) would often lay in wait after dinners as children for Dad and ambush him as he went from the kitchen to the dining room so we could wrestle him. Or play Nerf basketball in the hallway. It was not unusual to see Dad sit on Mom`s lap after dinner and give her a kiss. We will always cherish the many times we went to the War Memorial for Section V basketball games with him just to get a dollar a game "salary" and a coke in the hospitality room. We'll fondly recall going to Silver Stadium on beautiful summer nights and sitting along the third base side with Dad and Uncle Don Murray. My father taught us to watch the players, not the ball, in baseball because it`s where the excitement is in the game, about how baseball is one of the few games that you don`t need the ball to score. I recall a time when his Jefferson team was playing a game at Genesee Valley in the late 70`s early 80`s and he "argued" a call with an ump and actually got the official to change the call! We will all recall with deep love how each of us would position to be the one who got to sit on his lap for All in the Family, MASH, Lawrence Welk Show, a Billy Graham Ministry, Flip Wilson, Carol Burnett Show or even watching the Apollo landings as he would scratch our backs. He loved to laugh, many times to tears! And we will always remember how none of us ever wanted to be called a "jerk" by him, his biggest insult. He had many real life heroes from President Kennedy to Cal Ripkin. He loved Frank Sinatra music and "My Way" was perhaps his favorite. Christmas was without a doubt his favorite holiday and we had to limit him bringing out the Christmas records until Thanksgiving Day or we think he would play them all year! He went with diligent commitment to every basketball and baseball game that my brother ever coached. He and I(Joey) would meet for dinner on the way to a game and he would keep the book for Jimmy with his multi colored pens. Dad was so proud when one of Jimmy`s Dansville basketball teams made it to the War Memorial and I(Joe) was doing the radio broadcast with Frank Williams on WDNY in the rafters and Jimmy was coaching and he got to keep the official Section V scorebook on the floor. He had a hole in one at Durand Eastman Golf Course once playing with his close friend and mentor Nick Zona. Later in life he went with me (Joe) and several of our (his) dear friends to the Cape Cod for a golf tournament. He was known as an "Oldie" there and "Snoop Dog Daddy" for his great outfits and gentle humor he had for himself. He won the tournament in 2003 and this year we will be naming a portion of the event after him the James DeBell Typhoon Trophy. It`s a match play part of the event and I believe he was 2 -1 -0 in his matches. He loved that Mom never left his side during his illness, not even to go home at night to sleep. He would always ask us where she was. She was his beloved "CJ". Their love story began over 52 years ago when Dad came into the Emergency Room at Strong Memorial Hospital and Mom laid her eyes on him. The secretary on the floor told our mother; "Joyce, look at what I brought you". The rest is 52 years of memories. Mom wanted to introduce him to her Mom and Dad but she could not remember at first if his name was Tim or Jim. Thank god he introduced himself as Jim. Joyce`s baby sister, Deanna, use to love when Dad came over because she would collect the change that fell out of his pocket when he got up from the couch. He loved canned peaches at his father in law, Howard's house. We will never forget their joint 50th anniversary party with Joyce`s sister and husband Deanna and Ronny at Red Fedele`s Brookhouse last July. All the family, friends and those wedding party members who are still with us came. How happy we all were. Dad was devoted to people and they were devoted to him. His ball players from Jefferson would come to visit him and tell him that he made such a difference in their lives all these years. As kids, we remember the days when Dad would have his ball teams over at the end of the season for a pool party and we would have a full replay of the season. He found a way to do what he loved and get paid for it. He has touched so many kids through his teaching and coaching. Dad was very proud that he, along with Roger Bunce, started Rochester's first physical education program for physically challenged students making it possible for kids with disabilities to participate in PE. He was the President of Section V Athletics in Rochester. He coached all sporting teams during his tenure at Jefferson High school. When he retired, he moved right into his adjunct teaching position at Brockport College to be their head baseball Coach. This fall, his grandson, JJ, will follow in his footsteps, studying to become a teacher at his alma mater. This past September, Dad was awarded the Brockport Heritage Award, which is the highest award for the college. In addition he is on Frontier Field's Walk of Fame. He taught BOCES II Coaches certification for 41 years and many of our children`s teachers were students or ball players of Dad`s. How the circle of life works. Dad was a veteran of the Korean War and was very proud to have his name on the Korean War Memorial Wall. He adored his sister Gerry. She will miss him coming for coffee on Monday nights before his coach`s class. "Chip" truly was a wonderful son to his mother. (That was the nickname she gave him). He visited her every Saturday for lunch and on Valentine`s Day this year while he was recovering at Hill Haven, he joined her for a dish of ice cream while Joyce played the piano. It was a memory to behold. Visits to his sister go back as far as when we kids were little and we would go visit Aunt Gerry and her late husband Tony, for coffee on Saturdays. Cousins, Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, they are threads that have webbed our family together. Dad loved golf and we mean LOVED golf. He would wake up everyday and meet his friends Vito, Art, Norm and many others at Deerfield even when he was tired. He told Mom he found his God on the golf course. Probably one with "Gold Tees" and no forced carries! Dad was a devoted Christian and felt that God walked with him all his days. He forgave people for making mistakes and he always helped you feel better about being honest and going forward. He was a true role model for being a child of God. He was a member of Aldersgate United Methodist Church for over 50 years and loved being part of the drama productions under Gloria Montgomery`s direction. If he wasn`t acting, he was behind the camera taking pictures of the life and people he loved so much. Visit his garage, office, basement or bedroom and you will know what we are taking about. Dad has taught each of us all how to live and die with dignity, courage and faith. The memories we have of him as our coach, teacher, father, husband, grandfather, brother, uncle, son, friend are what will get us through the days when we miss him so. Let`s help each other remember him and the great work he did for kids, students, friends and family. No one is perfect or a saint but Dad was pretty close and really led his life the way his God wanted him to. We thank you for being here with us to celebrate the gift of our Dad. We cherish him and know that he will be with us as we go forward. He taught us the true meaning of unconditional love, a love for life, family and God. We know the world was a better place with Dad in it, now heaven is. 4 Written by Sandy, Debbie, Jim and Joe DeBell 3/26/08



Donations

Donations may be sent to Journey Home, 994 Long Pond Rd, Rochester NY 14626 or Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 4115 Dewey Ave, Rochester NY 14616



Services

Memorial visitation Friday 1-3 5-8 PM. James' Memorial Service will be Held 1:30 PM on Saturday at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 4115 Dewey Ave.