Obituary of Lawrence Bedell

Lawrence Harry Bedell "Tod" Age 70, died Saturday, September 10, 2016 at Foster G. McGaw Hospital at Loyola Medical Center in Maywood, IL. He was born February 1, 1946 to the late Beatrice (Gadbois) and Earnest J. Bedell in Chicago, IL where he was raised. He graduated from Fenger High School, class of 1966. Soon after graduating, he joined the U.S. Army and served during the Viet-Nam era. Among his duties was serving as a very proficient accountant, quite possibly too proficient in the eyes of some of his comrades. His keen ability to "crunch numbers" led to a lasting career as a bookkeeper, helping many clients and friends with their accounting needs. After 3 years of service, in the fall of ’69, he was honorably discharged with the rank of Sergeant, E5. A selfless, caring and kind man, he possessed a huge heart and will be deeply missed by his family; son, Michael Bedell; daughters, Lori (James) Krempel and Anita (Kevin) Falcon; two sisters, Marijean (Jim) Thomas and Irene Bender; three brothers, Gerall, Russell and Earnest Bedell; several nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends. Tod was one of those individuals who people of all walks connected with, and he will always be remembered for his ability to make friends easily. He had a natural gift of making people feel like they were long time "best buds" within minutes. At a young age, he always hung out with his two older brothers and their friends. Because he was the young one in the group, and because of his stature, they gave him the nickname “Little Tod.” As he grew older, he simply became known as Tod. Mr. Bedell enjoyed the game of baseball. A fan of both Chicago ballclubs, and the Kansas City Royals (possible family pressure), taking in a game with friends and family were always happy times. If he wasn’t watching a baseball game, he’d sneak in a game of Solitaire or Candy Crush on his iPhone. Other favorites included Portillos, White Castle, deep dish pizza and chocolate chip pancakes. One of his proudest accomplishments was receiving his coin from AA after 20 years of sobriety. The result of another great trait he possessed, determination. A lot of his traits and mannerisms can be seen in his children of whom he was so proud of. Although they feel he left way too soon, they recognize how fortunate they were to have had him by their side for as long as they did. They also know that he being absent from them, means he is present with the Lord. May he rest in peace. Please join Tod's family in celebrating his life at the Fred C. Dames Funeral Home, 3200 Black Rd. (at Essington Rd.) in Joliet where visitation will take place on Thursday September 15, 2016 from 3-8 pm. Funeral services will begin Friday morning, September 16, 2016, 10:30 a.m. at the funeral home. Interment will follow at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, IL. In lieu of flowers, commit a random act of kindness to another in honor of Lawrence Harry Bedell. For more information, please call 815-741-5500 or visit his Memorial Tribute at www.fredcdames.com.