BELL, Viola Ruth (McLean) - b. May 1, 1914 - d. August 14, 2015

[patyrn]

Viola Ruth Bell was born in Lonoke, Arkansas,  the daughter of Duncan Neal and Rose Etta (Stagg) McLean.  She passed away on Friday, August 14, 2015 in El Dorado, Kansas.

Ruth was raised around Lonoke, Arkansas, and the family moved to El Dorado, Kansas in the 1930s for her father's job in the pipe yards.  He later opened a watch shop in downtown El Dorado.  They also ran the Sands Hotel at 1st and Vine.  Ruth joined her older sister in the service of the Salvation Army in Birmingham, Alabama for awhile and soon met and married her first husband, James Paul Bearden in 1938.  From that union came her children, Joe Allen, Karen Ruth, Patricia Sue, and Barbara Jean.  In 1958, Ruth married Glenn Bell from Rosalia, Kansas, and they lived in El Dorado until his passing in 1997.  Ruth lived independently until a fall in 2004 sent her to the Howard Twilight Manor in Howard, Kansas. 

She was devoted to her family, caring for her dad, mother, and two sisters until their deaths.  She was always there when someone was in need.  She worked for Brown's Meat Market, Greiners Cleaners, Kanel Storm Window, and Century Plastic.  Ruth didn't want to ever retire, so she worked at Pesters Refinery at the gate until she had to retire.  She joined the First Baptist Church in her early teens and has been an active member since that time.

Ruth is survived by her children, Joe Allen (Nancy) Bearden of Howard, Kansas, Karen Warren of Piedmont, Kansas, Patricia (Kenneth) Robertson of El Dorado, Kansas, and Barbara Durbin of Moline, Kansas; 10 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren;  9 great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her parents; all of her siblings; one granddaughter; and three great-grandchildren.

Her family will gather with friends on August 23, 2015 from 12:00 noon till 4:00 p.m. at the Crooked Creek Lodge and Restaurant in Moline, Kansas.  Graveside services will be held on August 29, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. in the Blankenship Cemetery, Rosalia, Kansas.  The family would like to heartfelt and gratefully thank Interim Hospice and Susan B. Allen Hospital for the wonderful care of their mother in her last days.  Memorial contributions in her name may be directed to Howard Twilight Manor or First Baptist Church of El Dorado.  Please sign her online guestbook and leave a memory of Ruth at www.carlsoncolonial.com.  Carlson Funeral Home, 200 S. Star, El Dorado, Kansas 67042 is serving the family.

(taken from the Carlson Funeral Home website)