Obituary of William T. Bell

William “Poppy” Bell, 99, of Whiting, passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 6, 2021. Poppy was born and raised in NYC and lived in Fair Lawn and Edison, NJ before moving to Whiting in 2012. He was a decorated WWII veteran and then worked as a draftsman supervisor for 30 years at Bell Laboratories. Poppy was a child at heart and loved to make those around him happy. His generous nature was appreciated by all who knew him, and he worked to make the world a better place through his volunteering, aid to those in need, and an overwhelmingly positive attitude. Poppy is survived by his daughter, Virginia Konefal, four grandchildren, Irene (Jonathan) Jackson, Katherine (Shannon) Tillman, Keith (Felicia) Konefal, Kerry (Russ) Verhovec, 10 great-grandchildren and countless extended family members who loved him dearly. Poppy is predeceased by Lee, his wife of 71 years, brothers Harold and Johnny, and son-in-law Alan “Buzzy” Konefal. Visitation will be on Monday, June 14 from 4-6 p.m. at Manchester Memorial Funeral Home 28 Schoolhouse Road, Whiting, NJ. A Funeral Mass will be offered on Tuesday, June 15th at the All Saints Chapel of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Roman Catholic Church at 10:45am.