Submitted by: Mary Jo Koran

SBT 7/1/1993

Joseph J. Bella

July 28, 1921 – June 30, 1993

Joseph J. Bella, 71, of 2121 S. Swigart St., died at 1:10pm Wednesday in his home as a result of hanging.  Charles Hurley, St Joseph County deputy coroner, ruled the death a suicide.  Mr. Bella retired in 1985 from LaSalle Liquor Corp, where he had been employed for 28 years, and was also employed at Valley American Bank.

He was born July 28, 1921, in South Bend, and was a lifelong area resident.  On April 12, 1968, in South Bend, he married Delores Milewski Torma.  She survives, with a daughter, Margaret A. East of Chicago; a son, John A. of Elkhart; one stepson, John Torma of Osceola; six grandchildren; three great grandchildren; two sisters, Veronica Herczeg and Regina Hafner, both of South Bend; and three brothers, Stephen, Arthur and Julius, all of South Bend.  He was a Navy veteran of WW II and was a member of the Teamsters Union.

Services will be at 10am Saturday in Zahoran Funeral Home.  Burial will be in St Joseph Cemetery.  Friends may call form 6 to 8pm Friday in the funeral home.