A strong, outspoken advocate — remembered for her tireless efforts to better the lives of all community members — has died.
Diane Bell died March 23 after succumbing to her battle with breast cancer. She was 72.
Local officials and friends remember Bell for the numerous roles she undertook to improve the community around her, and for her willingness to provide support, advice, and even her uncloaked opinions on decisions made by local officials.
As a longtime school board trustee, chair of the school board, as well as her roles on the Ramara Library Board, the Udney Hall Board, Ramara Historical Society, Bell was extremely active in the community in both behind the scenes and forward-facing roles.
Thanks to her work in both former Simcoe North MP Bruce Stanton’s and current MP Adam Chambers’ office, she became a well-known advocate and friend to countless community members both young and old.
Longtime friend, Alison Stoneman, recalls many community members coming up to Bell in public and thanking her for her impact on their lives.
“The thing that really impacted me about Diane was how many lives she touched over the years in all of her roles. Everywhere we were together, she would have younger people come up to her and they would tell her how much she meant to them,” Stoneman said.
“I just think there's so many younger people who looked up to her as kind of an extra mom or an aunt or something like that — somebody that they could go to to talk to if they needed to, and as a friend, I mean, she was as good as you could ask for.”
Current school board trustee, Jodi Lloyd — who is serving her fifth term — said she might not have made it this far if not for Bell’s encouragement.
When Bell was set to retire from her position on the board, she encouraged Lloyd to run.
“She had encouraged me to consider running for the position, so I probably would not have become a trustee if it had not been for Diane,” Lloyd said.
After being elected, Lloyd said Bell was always there to help.
“When you become a trustee, there is a very significant learning curve at the beginning. There's a lot to learn, and she … helped me as a mentor during that first year,” she said.
And she was never afraid to offer her opinions about what happened around the school board table.
“Diane was not afraid to say what she thought, and I would get a call from her when, as trustee, she would be questioning something or questioning a decision that was being made,” she said. “She cared for other people and she cared for making things better.”
Ramara Mayor Basil Clarke agreed.
“I got many a lecture from her if she didn’t like the way I ran a council meeting,” the mayor laughed.
Both Clarke and Lloyd said she had a particular passion for bettering Ramara, where she held numerous roles over the years.
“When they were doing things like the passport clinic, she would always say, well, we need to have one over in Ramara. She’d bring them out to our local community centre,” Clarke said.
“On the school board, when there was a busing issue, she was always there for the kids in Ramara,” he said. “She was a very strong advocate for the small schools in Ramara, that they don't get closed and that they stay open.”
For MP Adam Chambers, Bell was someone who had a strong impact on him, despite the two only meeting in 2020.
“People come and go out of your life over time, but a few people make an impression, and Diane made an impression on me both in a professional way, but also in a personal way,” he said. “She's a very special person who will be remembered by all who knew her very fondly, as someone who is quite a passionate advocate and very special woman.”
When Chambers decided to run for office, he was told that Bell was the first person he should speak with.
“She was the first person, outside of people I knew, that I spoke to when I was considering running for the nomination,” he said. “That goes to tell you how many people she knows and how connected she is, that it was recommended that Diane (was) the first person I should call.”
“I was very blessed to have her as part of my team. She gave advice that she always believed was right.”
A celebration of Bell's life will be held at the Simcoe Funeral Home on Saturday, April 20, from 1:00 p.m. to 3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations to the RVH Cancer Centre, Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital or the Terry Fox Foundation for Cancer Research would be appreciated by the family.