Glendora Louise Crosswhite Bell passed away June 9, 2021 at the age of 99, just three months shy of her 100th birthday. She was a founding resident of the Querencia retirement community, opened in 2008, where she had many friends, enjoyed bridge, attended Democratic watch parties, and participated In the residents’ governing committee.
Glendora was born in Independence, Missouri on September 6, 1921 to Edward H. and Myrtle See Crosswhite of Independence. In 1944 she graduated as a Diploma Registered Nurse from the University of Kansas Nursing School as part of a program to train nurses for the military. She was married to Lt. Colonel Bill Bell on February 21, 1946 in Independence, Missouri. Glendora and Bill lived a military officer’s family life, stationed in France, Germany, Taiwan, and posts across the United States, including The Presidio of Monterey, California and Ft. Hood, Texas. They moved to Austin, Texas in 1963 upon Bill’s retirement from the U.S. Army.
Glendora worked as a Registered Nurse at each of their overseas postings. In Austin, she began her 20 year career as a nurse at the Austin State School, retiring in 1982 as the Director of Nursing Services. Prior to her directorship, she was director of the non-ambulatory unit, the infirmary, and was known for making dramatic improvements to the care and welfare of clients. Glendora was proud to have been one of the original nurses to participate in the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study, began in 1967 and continued for 25 years, considered the most significant, longitudinal study on the health of women.
Glendora was an avid reader, a staunch democrat, a player in Austin City Council member Emma Long’s Friday night poker games, and an ardent feminist, thrilled to have been able to vote for the first woman presidential candidate in 2016 and to help elect a woman vice-president in 2020. She was direct in her dealings with friends, children, and grandchildren, and all are better people for it.
Glendora is survived by three children, Mike Bell of Leavenworth, Kansas, Elizabeth Bell of Lutz, Florida, and Alan Bell, of Austin; six grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. As an only child, she was close with her surviving cousins, Barbie Hockemeyer and Carol Champlain Johnson of California.
Glendora’s family will receive visitors from 4-6pm on Sunday, June 13 at the Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home in Austin.
Glendora Crosswhite Bell will be buried next to her husband Bill Bell at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery at 10:30am on Monday, June 14, 2021 in San Antonio, Texas.
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