Stewart Bell, Jr was Salutatorian of the Class of 1928. He earned his BA at Hampton-Sydney in 1932 and his MA at the University of Virginia in 1940.

He taught at Middletown High School before becoming principal at the Gore School. In 1942, he served with the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. He returned to Winchester the following year to take over the operation of the family farm and orchards.

Stewart served on Winchester City Council from 1954 to 1980. He was Mayor from 1972 to 1980.

Stewart was instrumental in the development of the Joint Judicial Center, the 911 emergency services, the Winchester Parks and Recreation Board, the Winchester Tree Commission, the Handley Library Board, and the regional health department.

He was an author and active member of the Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society. The Archives at The Handley Library was named in his honor.

He received a Patrick Henry Award from Hampden-Sydney College in 1999 as an alumnus who had distinguished himself in a career in public service and an Honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from Shenandoah University in 2000.

Representative Frank Wolf had a “Tribute to Stewart Bell, Jr.” read into the Congressional Record on June 6, 2001. It read in part

“He is truly a renaissance man--a public servant, a poet with a recently published book, a community activist, a church leader and so much more. It is men like Stewart Bell--a powerful link to our shared heritage and a treasure in his own time--who epitomize that which is great about community and country.”