GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — To hear the gong stops you in your steps.

The reverberating, almost haunting, chime of Bill Davis' Veterans Memorial Bell delivers the message that a military warrior has fallen.

“It grabs your heart,” he said.

Davis, who's lived in Grand Junction since 1989, is a Navy and Army veteran himself. He's attended too many military funerals, as he says. But until recently, he attends them in a different capacity — as a military funeral bell toller.

To his knowledge, he is only one of two military funeral bell tollers in the United States. The other is a man from Texas. Not even Arlington National Cemetery has this level of pomp.

Tolling bells to signify the death of fallen veterans has a rich history dating back five centuries and originating in Europe.

Davis' bell goes hand-in-hand with the military honors provided by the Grand Valley Combined Honor Guard and the Patriot Riders at any funeral service of an active duty or military veteran.

“Ooh, it's goosebumps,” said honor guard member Gary Parrott, on when the bell dongs.

Transported on a trailer, the bronze, patinated bell is pulled by a pick-up and parked several yards from the service. When the casket or urn of the fallen veteran is in motion, Davis gives the rope a good pull. The first three chimes begin when the vet is brought into the service area. The last nine chimes sound off as the fallen hero heads to his/her final resting place.

“More than once I've been told that when the bell tolls, the tears start,” Davis, 63, said.

Meaning of each bell toll Initial tolling: This consists of three separate tolls separated by 20 seconds each. Each toll represents duty, honor and country. Subsequent tolling: The second or subsequent set of tolls consists of nine separate and distinct tolls with a 10-second interval. First toll: Signifies the gratitude of the United States of America for this veteran's service. Second toll: Signifies the recognition of America's POW/MIAs for this veteran's service. Third toll: Signifies the appreciation of the State of Colorado for this veteran's service. Fourth toll: Signifies the Army's acknowledgment of this veteran's service and to welcome him or her into its immortal ranks. Fifth toll: Signifies the Marine Corps' acknowledgment of this veteran's service and to welcome him or her into its immortal ranks. Sixth toll: Signifies the Navy's acknowledgment of this veteran's service and to welcome him or her into its immortal ranks. Seventh toll: Signifies the Air Force's acknowledgment of this veteran's service and to welcome him or her into its immortal ranks. Eighth toll: Signifies the Coast Guard's acknowledgment of this veteran's service and to welcome him or her into its immortal ranks. Ninth toll: Signifies the Merchant Marines' acknowledgment of this veteran's service and to welcome him or her into its immortal ranks.

BELL PROJECT TAKES OFF

Davis didn't see this coming a year ago. He had not an inkling that he'd be a military funeral bell toller, or even the sole owner of a half-ton bell.

“If someone would have told me this I would have said, ‘What are you smoking?'”

It all started months ago when Davis found out about David Hall, the Texas man who owns a traveling replica of the Liberty Bell which he shuttles around to military funerals.

Davis called him to see if he would bring his bell out to the Western Slope for a funeral. Hall, for whatever reason, couldn't.

Most people would leave it at that and move on. Not Davis.

He did some research which led him to place a fateful call to Jeff Crook of Chimemaster, a bell dealer, in Ohio.

Davis was picking Crook's brain — if only to explore the possibilities.

Davis explained to Crook what he was looking for and what he planned to do with such a bell. He also explained his financial limitations.

“I've got the perfect bell for you,” Crook said.

He described it as a copper bell which was cast in 1913 for a church. And Crook was ready to deal because of Davis' plan to use it at military funerals — $10,000.

“I can't come up with $10,000. I'm not a rich man,” Davis said.

“Do you have a $1,000?” Crook countered.

Davis said “yes.”

“Then come pick up your bell,” Crook said.

Whoa, wait.

“I need to hear how the bell sounds,” Davis said.

Crook e-mailed him an audio file of the bell's sonorous sound.

When Davis played it, he remembered thinking: “That's my bell!”

Davis arrange to pay Crook $250 a month, interest-free, until it's paid off.

Next thing you know, Davis and a friend were on their way to Ohio to pick up a 1,000-pound bell.

That was in March 2010. By April, Davis was tolling at his first local military funeral.

FIRST FUNERAL

Davis had met Mary Midgley five months earlier in 2009 at a poker run fundraising event.

She was a World War II and Korean War combat nurse, confined to a wheelchair.

It was cold at the event, and Davis had just won a blanket in a door prize giveaway. He saw that Midgley was cold and gave her the blanket to bundle up.

“Two weeks later, I got the most special thank-you card ... I wish I had kept it,” Davis said.

Davis' first official duty as bell toller was at Midgley's funeral at Veterans Memorial Cemetery April 8.

“The bell wasn't ready but I made it happen. I tolled that morning and two others later that day,” Davis recalled.

Since then, Davis has tolled for close to 60 military funerals — mostly held at Veterans Memorial Cemetery of Western Colorado, but also at Callahan-Edfast Mortuary, Orchard Mesa Cemetery, and elsewhere. He's even traveled to Montrose.

And he does it for free anytime a family requests it for a military burial.

He does take donations, but not at funerals. “That's their time of mourning,” Davis said.

Veterans Memorial Bell facts Original cast: Meneely & Co. foundry in 1913 in West Troy, N.Y. Weight: 1,100 pounds — by comparison, the Liberty bell weighs 2,080 pounds Size at the mouth: 34 inches First home: A church Cost: $10,000 - purchased by Bill Davis Inscription: “To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” Davis found the words perfect as it means: “As long as you remember your ancestors, they are not dead.”

FUTURE PLANS

Nearly six months since his first bell purchase, Davis is already looking to upgrade to the tune of $50,000-$60,000.

If he gets his way, this new bell he has his eye on will be double the size, weigh 3,500 pounds, and be five notes lower. Crook found the bell in the Netherlands. It was originally cast by one of Paul Revere's apprentices, but never used.

“The only time this bell will be tolled is at a (military) funeral,” Davis said. (The bell he uses now was originally a church bell.)

Davis would like to have the bronze bell re-cast. In the molten mixture, he wants to melt down and add 100 Purple Hearts, Bronze Stars, Service Crosses and possibly one Medal of Honor, all donated by living veterans. For every soldier who donates a medal, a brass plaque with their name inscribed will be placed on the bell. The outside of the bell will feature the emblems from each of the military branches.

And the timeline for this acquisition? “I wish I could predict that,” he said.

Next summer, he has plans for a fundraising campaign, but he realizes times are tough and folks don't have much to donate.

Judging by Davis' resolve, he'll have his new bell, and he plans on tolling at military funerals on the West Slope for years to come.

“The bell project is my passion.”

Donations welcomed! If you'd like to make a donation to the Veterans Memorial Bell, contact Vectra Bank, 499 28 1/4 Road, Grand Junction, CO 81501.