Jeanne Bell

Bell, Jeanne E. (Evans) MIDDLETON / OAK PARK, ILL.- Mrs. David (Jeanne Elizabeth Evans) Bell, died on Oct. 17, 2014, at Agrace Hospice in the care of her family. Jeanne was born to Mrs. Emma Evans on July 10, 1922, in Beardstown, Ill. A favorite memory was the huge water snake chasing her and her friends out of the millpond. She grew up in Maywood, Ill. (Children’s Receiving Home), then moved with her mother and sister to Oak Park, Ill. where she graduated from Oak Park High School. Here, she met, fell deeply in love, and, because he was underage, eloped to Indiana with David Vincent Bell. With the U.S. entrance into World War II, Dave soon enlisted in the Marines where he served as a radio operator in the South Pacific. Their first daughter, Marianne Jeanne, was born while he was overseas. When he wrote for news about Baby Marianne, her name was inked out. The censors feared that he was sending a coded message giving away his new location in The Marianas Islands. The post war years were spent in Oak Park where Jeanne worked as a telephone operator until son, David George Bell, was born. A move to Berkeley, Ill. brought employment in The Filter People to both parents, as well as a second daughter, Cynthia Jeanine. Membership in Pastor Kmet’s Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Oak Park evolved into leadership roles in Berkeley’s Lutheran Church of Transfiguration, where she played the church organ for many years. Many fun-filled years were spent traveling (Quebec, New Orleans, and Limestone Cove, Tennessee were favorites), gardening, and entertaining family and friends at home and at favorite nightspots. Though she loathed housecleaning, but loved to iron, and rarely enjoyed cooking, Mrs. Bell created delicious hamburgers and irresistible Lemon Meringue pies with the help of her beloved JOY OF COOKING. Jeanne taught her children to sing all the verses of The Marine’s Hymn and to have neither pride nor shame in being poor, but always to work toward a better tomorrow. Following her husband’s death at age 50, she moved with Cynthia and David to the Madison area to join Marianne and her family. Here, she worked many years at Bormanns’ where she met Marcia Larson, her new best friend and companion for garage sales, estate sale jaunts, and collecting coupons. Her three children inherited her great love for eating out, from L’Etoile in the good old days when walk-in lunches were affordable, to Culver’s for hot fudge sundaes, to C’s for family gatherings, and onto her newest favorite, Manna, for breakfasts. She rated restaurants by whether or not they served their coffee with, her preference, a saucer. Her last restaurant outing was in August with her granddaughter, Atala. They drove to Dumpling Haus at Hilldale for Chinese noodles, and then stopped for chocolate cupcakes at Gigi’s. She was so happy! Jeanne also inspired a love in many people for fine jewelry, pretty and often orange-colored clothing, and Carl Sagan. Her children learned early from her a forever love for reading, opera, classical and popular music, from ragtime to Elvis. Her last CD collection included one Mario Lanza, one Maria Callas, and one Roscoe Mitchell album. She always had a book nearby and had nearly completed, at age 92, her goal to read the entire Enoch Pratt Free Library’s daunting List of One Hundred Greatest Books. When asked what she wanted this year for Christmas, along with the usual bag of books and handmade soaps, she thought for a long moment, then said, “Two beers!” Preceding her in death were her husband, David Vincent Bell; her sister-in-law, Marian Almond; her daughter, Cynthia Jeanine Berume; her sister, Anne Colechi; and her son-in-law, Jerry Alan Levy. Mrs. David Bell’s survivors include her granddaughter, Atala Mitchell; her son, David (Linda); her grandsons, Alex and Peter (Kristy and great-granddaughter, Zoey); her daughter, Marianne; son-in-law, Michael Jackson (Donna); previous son-in-law, Roscoe Mitchell (Wendy); her Tucson grandsons, Joe, Josh and Anthony Berume; a great-grandson, Abel; her best friend, Marcia Larson; and good friends, Monroe Head and Laurel Sturges. Her family would like to thank Debbie, Pastor Cheryl and Pastor Tim from Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, as well as the good, hard workers at Agrace, notably Margaret, Karianne, Kristine, Kayla and Gwen. Dr. Karen Berger was Jeanne’s favorite doctor. At her request, there will be a family service at her gravesite next to her husband in Forest Park, Ill. Donations can be made in her name to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 5701 Raymond Road, Madison, The Madison Opera, 335 W. Mifflin St., Wisconsin Public Radio (her nightly companion) 821 University Ave., and The Heartland Animal Sanctuary, P.O. Box 45746, Verona, where she would love to find seahorses and bulls. In her memory, we can plant a red maple, a little spruce, Forget Me Nots, or Canterbury Bells, read FERDINAND with friends, and take care of the earth and all its creatures. And be sure to vote for Mary Burke! Gunderson West Funeral & Cremation Care 7435 University Ave. (608) 831-6761