By Kyle Coppola
Former Fruitland Park Mayor Chris Bell Passes Away at 64
FRUITLAND PARK, Fla. — Chris Bell, longtime mayor of Fruitland Park and a dedicated public servant, passed away peacefully on March 26, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. He was 64.
Born Christopher James Bell on May 3, 1960, in Walterboro, South Carolina, he was the second of seven children of Virgil Leroy Bell and Carol Ann Bell. Bell spent his early years working on the family dairy farm in Lodge, South Carolina, before moving with his family to Costa Rica. There, they invested in the community by opening a ceramic shop and a roller-skating rink. In 1977, the family relocated to Fruitland Park, Florida, where they established Sunshine Ceramics, later known as Florida Pottery in Leesburg.
(Bell had a 30 year career in public service. Photo Credit – Fruitland Park)
Bell attended Leesburg High School and later enrolled at Lake-Sumter Community College, where he met his wife, Joyce Boutwell. The couple married on August 29, 1980, in Fruitland Park, beginning a 45-year journey together.
A businessman and advocate for his community, Bell worked in the family pottery business before founding Disability Consultants with his mother in the late 1980s. The business flourished, and in 2010, his son Jeff joined him as the third generation helping people obtain Social Security benefits.
Bell’s public service career began in 1994 when he was elected as a city commissioner in Fruitland Park. In 2005, he was elected mayor, becoming the last community-elected mayor before the position transitioned to an appointed role. Throughout his 30 years of service, Bell was instrumental in the creation and development of many parks throughout Lake County.
Beyond politics, Bell was deeply committed to his faith and community. A member of Heritage Community Church, he taught Sunday school, led children’s ministry efforts, and participated in mission trips. One of his most cherished projects was organizing a Christmas drive-thru event featuring live-action scenes from the life of Jesus.
Bell’s love for life and family was evident in everything he did. He spent years coaching his children and grandchildren in community sports, enjoying boating, and traveling with his family. Known as “Pepaw” to his 10 grandchildren, he and his wife also became unofficial foster parents to many in the community, always welcoming those in need.
Bell is survived by his wife, Joyce; sons Christopher Bell II (Rachel) and Jeffrey Bell (Bibi); daughters Jacqueline Blake (Joshua) and Cari Lucas (Andrew); 10 grandchildren; and five siblings.
A visitation will be held on Saturday, April 5, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Beyers Funeral Home in Leesburg. A funeral service is scheduled for Sunday, April 6, at 3:00 p.m., with visiting hours beginning at 2:00 p.m., at Heritage Community Church in Fruitland Park. Interment will follow at Shiloh Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Bell of Lake legacy fund, which supports non-profit organizations, at P.O. Box 625, Fruitland Park, FL 34731.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
