Barbara J Bell

Barbara J. Bell, 92, of Moline, IL, and Naples, FL, passed away Wednesday, April 28, 2010, at Heartland Health Care Center in Moline. The last five months have been a rough journey for Barbara. Just a few hours before her death, a representative of Hospice visited her and sang some of her favorite hymns to her, making it a more pleasant end to an active life. Services will be Saturday, May 1st, at 11:00 a.m., at Wendt Funeral Home in Moline. Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until time of the service. Rev. Fr. James Allemeier will officiate. Burial will be next to her husband of 42 years in Moline's Riverside Cemetery. Barbara Frances Johnson was born in Moline on July 15, 1917, to Esley and Meta (Siegel) Johnson. She married Judge Robert M. Bell on March 17, 1936, in Oregon, IL. He passed away in June, 1978. Barbara graduated from Moline High School, and attended Augustana College in Rock Island, IL. She majored in Business and Secretarial studies, and enjoyed doing secretarial work, first as secretary to John Potter, the publisher of the Rock Island Argus, then in Chicago while Bob attended Law School. She and Bob moved to Rock Island and raised their two sons there. For four years she worked three days a week for Rev. Dan Gold Long at Broadway Presbyterian Church in Rock Island, and said she loved every day of it. She worked very hard as a volunteer in the two successful campaigns of her son, former State Representative Tim Bell. No one could ever keep up with her typing speed. She did volunteer work at her church, with the former Cleveland Home, Silver Cross, the Rock Island Republicans, and over the years, many other organizations. She was a member of the Elizabeth Jane Brashears Circle of Kings Daughters, the alumni group of Phi Ro sorority at Augustana, and P.E.O.Chapter K.T. In the last two years, she was very appreciative of her PEO sisters who came to visit with her and play bridge. She was very grateful for, and enjoyed, being able to spend five to six months a year at her winter home in Naples, FL. While in Naples, she attended PEO meetings, Naples United Church of Christ, and more recently, Mayflower Congregational Church, and she kept very busy playing bridge with the Ironwood Ladies, and attending their weekly association get-togethers. Barbara was raised attending Trinity Lutheran Church in Moline. In 1948, she and her husband joined First Congregational Church in Moline, where she still held membership. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, sisters Elizabeth "Betty" Heick and Nancy Lyons, and brother Dick Johnson. She is survived by her two sons, Timothy A. and Anthony R. "Tony", both of Moline, a "foster daughter" Sharon (Don) Feldhake, and their two sons, Joe and Rob, all of Seminole, FL, as well as many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Ironwood Memorial Fund, 528 Bristlecone Lane, Naples, FL 34113, or to the Youth Service Bureau of Rock Island County, 4709 - 44th Street #5, Rock Island, IL 61201. Tim and Tony want to give their special appreciation to the past and present staff at Amber Ridge Assisted Living, and to Nursing station"C" at Heartland Health Care Center.