Rudy Bell remembered as a man of quiet compassion
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Bill Poteat
Editor Emeritus
- 4 min to read
Rudy Bell, who died last week at the age of 92, probably wouldn’t be happy with this tribute story.
Not that he’d be contrary. It’s just that getting recognition or credit for what he did to help this community, its churches, and its people was simply not his style.
Bell
About style … Rudy was always impeccably dressed … As befits the man who was first co-owner and then sole owner of Burand’s Department Store on the northwest corner of the intersection of Union and Green streets in the heart of downtown Morganton.
Rudy first came to Morganton in 1973 when he and his business partner, the late John Golding, bought Burand’s, an old-fashioned department store that featured clothes for men and women.
Ruby had gained his business training at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a member, as was Golding, of the Class of 1955. Both men had also previously worked for the JCPenney department store chain.
After Golding’s untimely death in 1980, Rudy was sole owner of the store up until 1990, when he decided to sell the store and pursue a second, and very successful, career as a realtor.
A SON-IN-LAW REMEMBERS
But back to Rudy preferring to do things quietly and without public credit, here’s what his son-in-law, Bryan Searcy, longtime owner of CBS Sports in Morganton, had to say about that trait.
Searcy
“Rudy was a behind-the-scenes leader,” said Bryan. “Things would happen, things would get done, and you didn’t know how or why. And years later, you would learn that Rudy was responsible.”
Bryan recounted the story of the long friendship between Rudy and the Rev. George Logan, who spoke at Rudy’s funeral service. George was looking for a location to found what is now the New Day Christian Church.
Rudy showed George a valuable piece of property which he owned on Burkemont Avenue and told him that he could have the lot at no cost.
George took a day or two to consider and told Rudy “no,” saying the location was simply not where the church ought to be. Rather than take offense, Rudy told his friend, “I’ll sell this property and give the money to you to use to plant the church at the place of your choosing.”
That money provided the seed fund for the establishment of the New Day Christian campus on East Union Street.
“I’d been in the family for 40 years,” Bryan said, “and I never heard anything about it until George spoke of it at the funeral. But that’s who he was. He believed with all his heart in helping people who needed help.”
HIS MINISTER REMEMBERS
The Rev. Tom Bland, senior minister emeritus at Morganton’s First Baptist Church, knows more about Rudy’s quiet works and the Christian faith behind them than perhaps anyone else.
Bland
“I was privileged to serve as Rudy’s pastor for 29 years,” Tom remembered. “He would pray with me almost every Sunday in my pastoral study before I had to go out and preach.”
Rudy, Tom said, had recounted to him how he came to be a “Christ-honoring, Spirit-filled, Bible-believing Christian” before he came to Morganton, and that he quickly set that faith into action in his new home.
Upon arrival here, Rudy started a local chapter of the Christian Businessmen’s Committee, which held weekly meetings and Bible study at the Morganton Community House.
Rudy, Tom said, was “a major advocate and former board member of Mimosa Christian Counseling Center, which the church started in 2004.”
Rudy was also a longtime deacon and Sunday school teacher at the church and was willing to serve wherever needed.
“Rudy was an extraordinarily influential mentor and friend to many, including many,” Tom concluded. “I was blessed to pray for him and be with him last Wednesday afternoon as his earthly life ended.”
THE MAYOR WAS A FAN
In addition to his many other community contributions, Mayor Ronnie Thompson remembers Rudy as an excellent businessman and as a consistent supporter of downtown Morganton.
“Rudy realized a healthy downtown economy in Morganton would be a boost to the economy all across Burke County,” Ronnie said.
Thompson
“He was a believer in ongoing events to attract people downtown,” Ronnie continued. “And he was always giving us new ideas and new suggestions.”
Rudy, particularly in his role as a realtor, was a persistent advocate for more water and sewer lines in the rural areas of the county — services that would enhance the possibilities for housing development.
“Rudy worked very hard to convince our county commissioners that ‘money in the ground,’ water lines, would lead to the building of expensive houses, which would lead to property tax dollars,” Ronnie said.
Rudy was also a leader in the local real estate community, serving at one time as president of the Burke County Board of Realtors.
“Rudy believed that as a realtor, you could not get enough education,” Ronnie said. “He encouraged young realtors to build a better resume, to attend classes, to always be learning. He liked to say that ‘A realtor can never be over-qualified.’”
A FRIEND ON THE BLOCK
A final person who considered “Rudy, a friend, not a competitor,” is Ben Belton, who opened Benjamin’s clothing store on the same block as Burand’s back in the 1970s.
“Rudy was nothing less than a fine gentleman,” said Ben. “He was kind, considerate, and helpful. He lived out his Christian faith in a way that few people do.”
Belton
“He helped so many people in a very quiet way,” Ben continued. “That’s his legacy. He uplifted other people. And he was certainly a friend to me.”
If you’d like to honor Rudy Bell’s life and his many contributions to this community, memorial contributions may be made to the Bell Scholarship Fund, care of First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 459, Morganton, N.C., 28680.
Bill Poteat is editor emeritus of The Paper. He may be reached at 828-445-8595 or bill@thepaper.media. Back in the 1980s when he was a young newspaperman without two nickels to rub together, Rudy Bell would call him and give him a heads-up when the men’s department at Burand’s was about to have a sale. A small thing, perhaps, but one that is remembered.
