Jo Ann Lea Bell's Obituary
Jo Ann (Lea) Bell, 85, was called home on Sept. 28, 2022, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bryan, Texas. She was lovingly surrounded by her family at the time of her passing.
Jo Ann is the daughter of Basil Lois Lea and Lillian Mae (Walker) Lea and was born June 8, 1937 at Freeman Hospital in Joplin, Missouri. She grew up on a farm that bordered both Kansas and Missouri, in Shoal Creek Township, Missouri. As a child, she attended Greenwood School, a three-room country school for grades 1st thru 8th. The Greenwood Community, specifically Shoal Creek, was homesteaded by the Leas and others, arriving by covered wagon. Jo Ann attended Greenwood School through 7th grade, and later attended South Jr. High for 8th and 9th grades, which was a 2 story building and a cultural shock from the small country school. Jo Ann graduated from Joplin High School, class of 1955.
Jo Ann’s family mainly attended First Methodist Church in Joplin and on occasion Greenwood Baptist Church in the Greenwood Community. Jo Ann was a Rainbow Girl which was part of the Masonic youth service organization. After High School, Jo Ann was whisked off to attend Bartlesville Business College in Bartlesville, Oklahoma for 1 ½ years, where she studied shorthand. It was in Bartlesville that she made new friends and was introduced to the sorority Beta Sigma Phi, of which she has been a Life Member since October 1955. It was through one of her sorority sisters that she was set up on a blind date with her future husband, Brooks Wheeler Bell. Exactly 2 weeks after their first date they were driving from Joplin to Bartlesville, when Brooks pulled over into a parking lot of a nearby lake. The car was facing the lake and the moon was bright. It was the perfect time for him to ask, “Will you be my wife?” and Jo Ann said, “Yes.” They were married 65 years on June 16th.
Once they were married they lived on the Oklahoma State University Campus. After Brooks graduated from OSU in 1962, they moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico. In December 1966 they moved to Dallas, Texas. They lived in the Como Motel until they found their forever home.
They have three children, Sam (Karen) Bell of Brenham, Texas, Joe Bell of Rowlett, Texas and Rene’ (Brandon) Gollaher of Weston, Colorado. They have five grandchildren, Jeremy (Katie) Bell, Justin (Whitney) Bell, Dakota Bell, Brooke Gollaher and Bailee Gollaher, and eight great grandchildren.
Jo Ann had many hobbies that she loved, such as researching her family history, gardening, treasure hunting at thrift stores and garage sales, and selling items on Craigslist. Jo Ann also liked decorating her home for the changing seasons and holidays, taking tremendous pride in setting and decorating a dinner table for any occasion. Her greatest desire was to be surrounded by her entire family.
Jo Ann is survived by her husband, Brooks W. Bell, her three children, five grandchildren and eight Great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Jo Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Basil Lea and Lillian Lea and her brother, Charles “Bob”Robert Lea and Grandson, Jeffrey Alan Bell.
Funeral services are scheduled for 2PM on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, in the Wildwood Chapel at Restland Funeral Home in Dallas, Texas. Family will receive friends and family one hour prior to the funeral.
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