Jean attended James McCosh Elementary School, John Marshall High School, and graduated from Chicago Teacher’s College with a Bachelor of Education degree in 1956. She then took some evening school courses at Moody Bible Institute where she met Ralph Bell, her future husband, who hailed from Canada. After an engagement of two years, they were married on August 24, 1957.
While enjoying travelling the world with her husband, her real passion was teaching children, some with special needs, in her 7th Grade class in the Los Angeles school system. Especially loved was teaching those in her local church Sunday School and in a private American Baptist School, composed of all Asian children.
Genealogy also claimed equal time to search out the mysterious hidden years of her family and those of many others. Sometimes the research was daunting, but no challenge was ever turned away. Gardening, fishing, and sewing were also major interests that she pursued with great love and enthusiasm.
Jean is survived by her husband, Ralph Bell; two sons, Ralph Bell II of Ft. Collins and Christian Bell of Loveland; five grandchildren, Chynna Dunn of Loveland, Ciara Bourne of Denver, Kirstin Bell of Ft. Collins, Rachel Hurst of Templeton, CA, and Chandler Bell of Ft. Collins; and two great-grandchildren, Everlee Dunn, 5, and her sister, Eden, 18 months of Loveland.
A Memorial Service by invitation only will be held at Discovery Fellowship Church, 6630 Brittany Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525 on August 15 at 4:00 pm with a reception following. The service will be livestreamed at dfchurch.com/jeanbell.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Pioneer Ministries Inc. P.O. Box 6182, Jackson, MS 39288-6182.
