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Submitted: 5/18/21 • Approved: 5/18/21 • Last Updated: 5/21/21 • R1374497-G286839-S3
January 27, 1855 - July 4, 1937
*Obituary
Fayetteville Daily Democrat
Tuesday, July 6, 1937
BELL, Loretta Short - Funeral Monday For Mrs. R.F. Bell - Funeral services for Mrs. Loretta Short Bell, who died at her home Sunday morning, were conducted from the family home on East Spring street Monday at 4:40 p.m. Rev. John P. McConnell of Central Presbyterian Church assisted by Rev. Paul D. Kennedy of First Christian Church and Rev. J.W. Workman of Central Methodist Church, officiated.
Mrs. C.C. Yarrington, accompanied by Mrs. Mabel Bell Thompson on the piano, sang "Asleep in Jesus" and "Abide With Me." Pallbeareres were Earl Page, A.E. Collier, Hosea Williams, Tom Eason, C.A. Marshall and W.W. Ramey.
Out-of-town relatives here for the funeral included Mrs. W.C. Thompson, New Brunswick, New Jersey, Mrs. A.J. Campbell of Rice Lake, Wisconsin, James W. Bell and Bonner Bell of St. Louis; Robert Fielding Bell of Roundup, Montana and Robert Bell of McAlester, Oklahoma. Robert Bell returned to McAlester Monday night; Mrs. Thompson is remaining for a longer stay with her sisters here; and others left this morning to drive as far as St. Louis with James W. Bell. From St. Louis they will go to their respective homes.
*Obituary
Northwest Arkansas Times
Monday, July 5, 1937
Mrs. R.F. Bell Passes Sunday, Funeral Today - Pioneer Citizen Was A Native of New York, Wife of UCV - Funeral services were being held this afternoon at 4:30 o'clock from the family home, 132 East Spring Street, for Mrs. Loretta Short Bell, 82, local pioneer and wife of the late Robert Fielding Bell. She passed away Sunday morning after a two years' illness.
Mrs. Bell is last member of a family of 11 to call 132 East Spring Street "home." It was both her wish and the wish of her late husband that the place not be sold or disturbed "as long as any of the children might want to come back, or might need a home."
Of her nine children eight are still living and all were at her bedside during her final illness.
Surviving children are: Mrs. Hettie Bell Moore, wife of J. Frank Moore; Mrs. Lillie Bell Swink and Mrs. Willie Bell Massie, wife of Police Judge J.C. Massie, all of Fayetteville; Mrs. Bertha Bell Campbell of Rice Lake, Wisconsin; James W. Bell, St. Louis; Robert F. Bell Jr. of Round-up, Montana; Mrs. Mabel Bell Thompson, wife of Prof. W.C. Thompson of the agricultural facility of Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey and Bonner Bell of St. Louis.
She also leaves 13 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, a brother and a sister, neither of whom is able to be present.
Grandchildren are: Robert Bell, McAlester, Oklahoma; Ruth Swink Wages, Loretta Swink Sexton, Joe Swink all of Fayetteville; Dorothy Swink Rowland, Fort Smith; Jimmie Bell, St. Louis; all of whom are here for the funeral. Others are: Elizabeth Campbell Moulton, Rice Lake, Wisconsin; Mary Campbell Johnson, St. Paul, Minnesota; Loretta Bell Foster, McAlester, Oklahoma; Bonner Bell, Jr., St. Louis; Chandler Thompson, New Brunswick, New Jersey; Elise Swink Uptmoor, Fort Worth, Texas; Lillian Massie, Fayetteville, now attending the University of Minnesota.
Great-grandchildren include: Billy Rowland, Jimmy, Harry, Emily Ruth and Robert Frank Wages, all of Fayetteville; Bobbie, Jack and Joe Rowland, Fort Smith; Bobbie and Margorie Bell, McAlester, Oklahoma; Betty Lou Johnson, St. Paul, Minnesota.
One son, Joe Bell, oldest child of the family, was for many years a merchant in Fayetteville and was the "Bell" of the Campbell and Bell firm, founded by himself and father-in-law, Dr. A.J. Campbell, 48 years ago. Mr. Bell was killed while driving on the highway near Muskogee April 27, 1933.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Bell were parents who devoted most of their time to their children, who built around the home and who made the home the center of all family recreation.
A daughter said today: "Although I can remember when we had only coal oil lamps, I cannot remember the time when we children did not have a good light, a good book and a good magazine in the house. Nor can I remember when any of us would not rather remain at home at night than seek recreation away from home."
Mr. and Mrs. Bell celebrated their golden wedding in May, 1923 when all the children and all sons-in-law and daughters-in-law and a number of the grandchildren were present.
Mrs. Bell was born at Kingston, New York, January 27, 1855. She was daughter of Jerry Short and of Mrs. Elizabeth Reynolds Short, both natives of New York State. When she was but eight years of age, she moved with her parents to Middle Tennessee where she was educated. She was married at Belfast, Tennessee, January 8, 1875 to Robert Fielding Bell with whom and her children she came to Fayetteville, Arkansas in 1893, attracted by the State University where her children were educated.
Mr. Bell was a Confederate Veteran, and a member of Company C, 17th Tennessee Infantry. He lost his right arm in the battle of Rock Castle, Kentucky, October 21, 1861. He served as county treasurerer for Washington County for two terms and retired from public and business life in 1912. He died in Barnes Hospital in St. Louis in 1924. His wife will be buried between his grave and that of their son Joe, in the Evergreen Cemetery.
Mrs. Bell's body was dressed by her daughter. Services this afternoon were conducted by her pastor, Rev. John P. McConnell of Central Presbyterian Church of which Mrs. Bell had been a member more than 40 years. Mr. McConnell was assisted by Rev. Paul D. Kennedy of First Christian Church and Rev. J.W. Workman of Central Methodist Church.
Mrs. C.C. Yarrington was to sing two solos, "Asleep In Jesus," and "Abide With Me," with Mrs. Bell's daughter, Mrs. Thompson at the piano. Mrs. Thompson is a professional musician and at one time was on the musical faculty of the University here. It was her mother's wish that she play the funeral music.
Pall-bearers were chosen from Mrs. Bell's children's long-time friends: Earl Page, who has assisted at all of the several funerals in the Bell family since they have lived here; Hosea Williams, Tom Eason, C.A, Marshall and W.W. Ramey.
A wealth of flowers covered the beautiful gray casket both at the home and the grave.
Contributed on 5/18/21 by nlhall
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Record #: 1374497