William Farnham Bell died on May 27, 2026. Bill was born in Escanaba, Michigan, on October 4, 1945, son of James Hunt Bell and Edythe (Farnham) Bell. He lived in Escanaba during his boyhood then moved with his family to La Crosse, Wisconsin. Dad was a guitarist, a singer and a songwriter. While in high school he played with the Sagemen, a folk trio. He graduated from La Crosse Central High School in 1963 and maintained lifelong friendships with his classmates. He married one of them, Nancy Bradford, in 1965. They divorced in 1990.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, his sister and brother-in-law Susan (Bell) Miller and Phil Miller and his brothers-in-law Chuck Musselman, Jerry Saterbak and Robert Miner.

Bill is survived by his sister Kris Musselman, his ex-wife Nancy (Don) Thomas-Kremmer, his children Tania (Damian) Taff, Heidi (Adam Burke) Bell, Barbara (Trevor) Brown and James (Mandy) Bell, his sisters-in-law Mary Lou Saterbak and Sara Miner, seven grandchildren, Alicia (Ryan) Leas, Alex (Katie Smith) Taff, Cassandra (Kevin Johnson) Taff, Lily and Evan Brown, Henry and Spencer Bell, three great grandchildren, Abishae and Jaydee Taff and Virginia Leas, his longtime partner Deanette Shull and special friends Adam and Maureen Blackwell.

Bill’s family wishes to thank the compassionate staff at Florence Health Services for the kind and loving care our dad received in the last years of his life.

No services will be held.

Memorial gifts may be sent to the La Crosse Central High School music department to support their choir programs.

Friends may leave condolences and tributes to Bill’s family online at www.jacobsfuneralhomes.com

The family has chosen Jacobs Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Iron Mountain, MI, to honor Bill’s legacy of life.