Dr. Joseph “Joey” Bell Won the 2023 NCMS Golden Stethoscope Award

(Locklear and Son Funeral Home) —      Dr. Joseph “Joey” Tyron Bell, 66, of Robeson County, NC — beloved husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, dedicated physician, and proud member of the Lumbee Tribe — left the loving arms of his family to be welcomed home by his heavenly Father on June 16, 2025 at the Durham VA Hospice Facility. He was born on April 12, 1959 in Laurinburg, NC to James F. “Buddy” Bell and Sarah Sampson Bell. He was the grandson of Furman and Maggie Bell of St. Pauls, NC and Stanley and Eunice Sampson of Pembroke, NC.

Joey was a lifelong advocate for children’s health and well-being. He served his community for decades as a devoted pediatrician, where his kindness, patience, and deep sense of duty left a lasting impact on countless families. Through the years, he attended Harpers Ferry Baptist Church, Pembroke First Baptist Church, and Hyde Park Baptist Church, where he enjoyed leading his small groups. Grounded in faith and culture, Joey was active in both his church and the Lumbee community, mentoring young people and supporting efforts to improve healthcare access in underserved areas.

He earned his undergraduate degree in Pharmacy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1986, Joey became the first Lumbee pediatrician and the first American Indian pediatrician in North Carolina as he obtained his medical degree specializing in Pediatrics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His career spanned numerous decades, during which he served with distinction as a pediatrician at Carl Albert Indian Hospital, Choctaw Nation Indian Hospital, Robeson Healthcare Corporation, Catawba Indian Health Service Unit, and Children’s Health Pembroke (Pembroke Pediatrics) and was an owner and partner at Children’s Health of Carolina.

Joey was a member of Robeson County Medical Society, North Carolina Medical Society, American Academy of Pediatrics (where he served on the Committee on Native American Child Health), former President of the Association of American Indian Physicians, and the North Carolina Indian Health Board. He was honored throughout his career for his leadership and compassion in medicine, and recently awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine by the State of North Carolina.

In addition to his mother, Joey is survived by his loving wife of 36 years, Vicky Cowan Bell; daughter, Victoria “Tori” Bell Alvarado (David); son, Isaac Browning Bell (Peyton); brothers James “Greg” Bell (Bonita) and Ronny Bell (Natalie); several special aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and many other extended family members and friends. The joy of his life were his three grandchildren, Elena, Luca, and Rosa Alvarado. He was a steadfast presence in their lives — encouraging, generous, and endlessly devoted to his family.

A public Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, July 12, 2025 at Hyde Park Baptist Church in Lumberton, NC. The visitation starts at 11:30 AM and the Celebration of Life service will begin at 1:00 PM.  This service will be livestreamed and we will update with the link at a later time. The family appreciates the many expressions of love and support during this time.

We would like to offer a special thank you to the staff of the Durham VA Medical Center for your kindness and compassionate care during our time of need.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Dr. Joseph Bell Scholarship Endowment with the UNC School of Medicine at https://go.unc.edu/jtbellendowment

Contributions can also be made to ALS United North Carolina at alsnc.org

Dr. Bell was the recipient of the 2023 NCMS Golden Stethoscope Award. To read the full story of his nomination and win click here.