MN's Longest-Tenured Volunteer FF Hangs Up Helmet

The man believed to be Minnesota's longest-tenured volunteer firefighter called it quits after more than a half century.

Stillwater firefighter Tim "T.J." Bell, 72, joined the department in October 1969, following in the footsteps of his dad, who also had been a volunteer firefighter and a part-time police officer, the Pine and Lakes Echo Journal reports. During his time with the combination department, he served as a firefighter-engineer, captain of the volunteer crew and assistant chief, a position he held for 19 years.

"I really enjoyed my career, but everything comes to an end," he told the Journal. 

Bell's last day with the department was Dec. 31, and he spent Tuesday picking up personal items from the station and turning in equipment. He also was surprised with a drive-by celebration outside the department to honor his years of service.

After 51 years of service, Firefighter Tim Bell is retiring. Thank you for your service, TJ, and enjoy your retirement. We are going to miss your smiling face.

Posted by City of Stillwater, Minnesota - Local Government on Monday, January 4, 2021

“He was a natural leader and so knowledgeable,” current Stillwater Fire Chief Stuart Glaser, who was mentored by Bell, told the Journal. “He put in so much time here. If there was a special project or anything that needed to be done, he would be here.”

Along with his work as a firefighter, Bell also served on Stillwater's police force, reaching the rank of captain before retiring in 1998. He's also passed down his commitment to public service to his 53-year-old son and 34-year-old grandson who are both Stillwater firefighters, and he potentially could see that fire service tradition carried on through his two great-grandchildren, as well.

“I would love to see them follow in my footsteps, but it’s going to be a few years because they’re pretty young yet — just 1 and 3," he told the Journal. "I hope I’m alive to see it.”

One thing Bell has lived to see, though, is the legacy he's left with the department, and it's something those who worked closely with him won't soon forget.

“He definitely left an imprint on a lot of people through all his years,” Glaser told the Journal. “He touched a lot of lives — not only the people he helped, but the people in the department, too. Those are tough shoes to fill.”