For Aggie Lauren Bell, Her Family’s History Parallels That Of Texas A&M

Lauren Bell, a fourth-generation Aggie from Corpus Christi, thinks 12 might just be her lucky number. Some might say it’s fate, but her father says it has more to do with the fact that her family history is part of the history of Texas A&M University.

Lauren is a member of the Class of 2012 — and a unique part of Texas A&M’s famous 12th Man tradition.

When Aggies qualify to receive and proudly wear their cherished Aggie Rings, it’s always a special occasion — for the soon-to-graduate students and, often, for family members and friends. Distribution of the rings is handled by The Association of Former Students, Texas A&M’s alumni organization, and the Aggie Ring recipients and their families and friends converge on the Clayton Williams Jr., Alumni Center in such large number that traffic has to be diverted from that area of the campus.

When Lauren was presented her Aggie Ring, her Aggie graduate father — proudly wearing his Aggie Ring — was among a host of family members on hand to help celebrate — and her late grandfather was represented with his Aggie Ring and her great grandfather was represented in a unique manner.

Her great grandfather’s ring was absent, but Lauren had with her a football program he saved from a game in 1923 that lists the name of a very special player — E. King Gill, the Aggie who started the 12th Man tradition. During the Dixie Classic (forerunner to the Cotton Bowl) in 1922, the Aggies had so many injuries in the game that Coach Dana X. Bible called Gill out of the stands to suit up and stand ready to play if needed. Since that time, every Aggie stands at football as the 12th Man ready to help the team — and the 12th Man tradition now has a camaraderie that transcends football.

John Bernice Bell Sr. (J.B.), who was a freshman when Gill was a senior, graduated from Texas A&M in 1927 with a degree in management and worked for Bell Telephone (no relation) for 35 years. He was in B Troop Calvary of the university’s Corps of Cadets.

J.B.’s son — and Lauren’s grandfather — Thomas H. Bell graduated in 1955 with a degree in civil engineering. After graduation, he served in the army in a radar unit in Alaska shortly after the Korean War. He worked for the highway department for 36 years as a designer and draftsman and designed many of the bridges in and around Corpus Christi from 1965 to the early 1990s. He was also instrumental in implementing computer systems in the Texas Department of Transportation district office in Corpus Christi in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Lauren says getting her Aggie Ring was something she wanted for as long as she can remember.

“I have been dreaming about it since I was a child. My parents would sing the War Hymn as my lullaby. I can honestly say, ‘I bleed maroon,’ she adds.

Lauren’s dad, Stuart M. Bell, class of 1982, says his daughter may be the proudest member of the Class of 2012, but he couldn’t have been more proud than when he put her Aggie Ring on her finger.

“Graduating from A&M connects Lauren with me and in turn her grandfather and her great-grandfather. A&M is strong on history and tradition and this is just one small fiber in that history,” he adds.

Stuart received his degree in health and physical education with a minor in biology and has taught high school biology for 30 years, mostly in South Texas. “I have also coached and have almost 400 wins coaching varsity boys’ basketball,” he says.

“I am currently a school health major and plan on following my father’s footsteps in becoming a high school basketball coach and teacher,” Lauren says.

Other Aggies in the family include John Bernice Bell, Jr., class of 1953. He graduated with an accounting management degree and has had season tickets for Aggie football since 1963. His daughter, Karen Bell, is class of 1978.

Another great granddaughter of John Bernice Bell Sr. is Lauren’s third cousin Ashley Bell, also a member of the class of 2012.

“It was amazing to read that 1923 program and see the picture of E. King Gill, the original 12th Man and come to the realization that while a freshman, your great-grandfather probably had to do push-ups for Gill, the senior,” Stuart told his daughter.