Anna Bell Norton

Anna Bell was the third child of four children born to Benjamin Lewis Hall and Arvilla Wilma (Van Scoder) Hall on April 9, 1923 in Amber, Oklahoma. She graduated from Lawton High School in 1941 and married her first husband and childhood sweetheart, Thomas Oren Ward (1922-1951) in 1942 in Lawton, Oklahoma. After Tom’s death, she married Fred Heinz Poettmann (1919-1995) in 1952 in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. She remained a widow until she met her third and last husband Fred Wardner Norton (1921-2011) with whom she married in 2005 in Littleton, Colorado.

Tom Ward was a commissioned officer in the Air Transport Command at Love Field in Dallas Texas, and both Anna Bell and Tom attended SMU in the study of Doctor Missionary to Africa. Tom was assigned to flying diplomats over the Himalayas from India to Africa. After the war and 3 additional years of study, they both embarked on a mission to Zambia (then S. Rhodesia) under the sponsorship of the Church of Christ and the British Government which was interrupted after three years by Tom’s death at age 29.

Anna Bell returned to Oklahoma and married Fred Poettmann, a PhD Chemical Engineer with Phillips Oil Company, and widower with a 22 month-old daughter, Susan Trudy (Poettmann) Fox. She loved children and wanted nothing more than her own family. After relocating to Littleton, Colorado in 1955 where Fred Poettmann was a founder of the Marathon Oil Company Research Center, they adopted a son, Phillip Mark Poettmann at 15 months in 1959. During the years of raising her family she supported the activities of the children and became civically involved in organizations revolving around the family such as Parent-Teacher Organization, Society of Petroleum Engineers Wives Club, Denver Figure Skating Club, and many other local civic and social organizations in Littleton, Colorado and Findlay, Ohio.

At the age of 83, she married Fred Norton, a retired businessman and former manager with Signal Oil and Gas with whom she met at Senior Friends social group. Fred and Anna Bell had many mutual friends without knowing each other having both lived in Littleton for decades, and immediately became best friends and partners. They shared many happy adventures together during the brief time they spent together. Introduction of the Norton line more than doubled the size of Anna Bell’s family of which she was very proud.

Anna Bell was a life-long Christian, and from the mid-1960’s until her death she was an active member of the South Suburban Christian Church in Littleton, Colorado, where she contributed considerable time and monies to the causes of the church. She was an impeccable hostess, and enjoyed treating guests to a wonderful event, or even trips around Colorado – especially to her mountain cabin. She prided herself on all of her homemaking skills, such as cooking, sewing, entertaining, decorating, even attiring the family. She loved to travel, especially to see friends and loved ones, including overseas.

Anna Bell’s character is described best by those that knew her: “kind”, “generous”, “caring”. ”thoughtful”, “forgiving”, ”loving”, ”polite”, ”welcoming”, ”positive”, ”sincere”, “strong”, “amazing”, “sweet”, “adventurous”, “fascinating”, “engaging”, “sophisticated”, “experienced”, “happy”, “beautiful”, to name a few. Her most significant accomplishment during her lifetime was trying to make everyone around her feel better with those characteristics.

Anna Bell was predeceased by all of her siblings, Stella Lauretta (Hall) Hines (1914-2012), Silas Benson Hall (1920-2003), Roy Lee Hall (1926-2001), nephew Joe Hines (1943-1963), son Tom Norton (1956-2005), and her three spouses.

Surviving family members include close friend and niece Judith Ann (Hines) Eager, nephews Martin Benjamin Hall, Ronald Benson Hall, and niece Linda Sue (Hall) Black. Immediate family includes her children, Phil and Trudy, Nancy Norton, Kristy Norton, Beth Norton, and Donald Norton. Anna Bell was thrilled to have had experienced in addition 14 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren.

Memorial service and burial followed by reception will be held on Monday, April 11, 2022, at Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary and Cemetery, 6601 S. Colorado Blvd., Centennial, CO 80121, beginning with visitation at 1:00 pm. The memorial service will begin at 2:00 pm, and the reception at 3:30 pm.

Please, in lieu of cards, gifts, or flowers in the event someone is so inclined, please consider a donation to the "Fred Poettmann Scholarship Fund":

Colorado School of Mines Foundation

Stacy Moyer: 303.273.3275

[email protected]

Or if preferred, send cards to:

Phil Poettmann

PO Box 5184

Englewood, CO 80155

Thanks to everyone for thinking kind thoughts of Anna Bell. She was an incredible woman who led a long, and fulfilling life, and will certainly be missed.