Mildred Jean Ravnell Bell's Obituary
Mildred was born at home to Wilson and Sadie Ravnell on Tuesday, April 19, 1932 in Oakwood, Texas. She was the fourth of five siblings, Alonzo, Annie Marie, Melvin, and Mary Alice. Her parents and siblings preceded her in death.
Sister Bell was a saint in the Church of Christ since her baptism at the age of 13. Her spiritual adult tutelage was under Bro. Grover C. Washington, then minister at the Lawrence and Marder congregation in Dallas, Texas, where she served as a teacher and co-coordinator of Vacation Bible School. While worshipping with the saints there, her understanding of God’s grace, love, and forgiveness deepened, as did her skill of building quality relationships.
For ten years, she taught in the Dallas Independent School District at George Washington Carver Elementary. Afterward, she worked for thirty-three years as a Texas Licensed Professional Counselor/Instructor and Texas Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist at El Centro College of the Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD). Her life revolved around being a family woman, spiritual leader, trailblazer, champion teacher, and mentor to many women in the spiritual and educational realms.
Dr. Bell’s educational achievements included: Salutatorian of Dunbar High School, Mexia, TX; Magna Cum Laude B. A. from Huston- Tillotson University, Austin, TX; Magna Cum Laude https://M.Ed. from Texas Southern University, Houston, TX; Post-Master’s Counseling Psychology Certification from Washington State University, Pullman, WA; and Ed.D. from Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Her many achievements at El Centro College included: founding coordinator of the Human Education Center that developed and presented programs on affective education for students, faculty, and staff; founding coordinator of the Teacher Education Preparatory Program for students pursuing a two-year transfer degree in teaching; and co-developer of the Career Center in the Counseling Department. For nine years, she was one of the featured presenters of the “Annual Strengthening the African American Families Conference” founded by Dr. Kenneth Greene.
Dr. Bell’s professional career was rich with many firsts. She was the first Black Professional Counselor to be employed in the DCCCD and charter member of the DCCCD Planning Committee, which planned and organized protocols for Counseling Centers in the District. At El Centro College, she was the first to teach a Black Studies class for students and the first to develop and teach a Human Development class for faculty on Personalized Student Instruction, using the book she authored for her dissertation. In 1970-71, she was the first Black awarded the “Most Outstanding Teacher of the Year” by the student body, and in 1988, the first Black in the DCCCD to be elected by the El Centro College faculty for the Texas State Minnie S. Piper Award as “Most Outstanding Teacher of Excellence.” In the early seventies, she was the first Black appointed to a task force by the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges (AACJC) in Washington, D.C. Their focus was on Black students themed, “New Staff for New Students: Equal Opportunity for All.” She was the Charter Vice-President in the development of the National Student Personnel Services Program and the National Council on Black American Affairs of AACJC. From 1983-85, she was the President of the Southern Regional Council on Black American Affairs and the chief writer of the organization’s Constitution and Bylaws. She was also a Charter member of the American Association of Christian Counselors and a member of the DCCCD Retiree Association.
Dr. Bell was a recognized international presenter at conferences, seminars, and workshops for secular and religious groups, inclusive of Ladies Day Programs in the Churches of Christ; the University Upon Polytechnic in Newcastle, England; and the American University in Leysin, Switzerland. In 1983, the DCCCD elected her to travel with a national group to Heidelberg, Germany to study the country’s educational system and in 1996 to travel with another national group to Israel. A world traveler, she and her husband of 58 years, Deacon Harold Bell, visited many international cities. They also initiated many family road trips throughout the United States to enrich the lives of their daughters.
Sister Bell was a faithful member of the Church of Christ on Greenville Avenue. Among her involvements, she: taught the Sunday Afternoon Ladies Bible Class after Sister Ocelia Lewis; studied and taught Evangelism in the Open Bible Study Series under Brother David Phillips; completed the Teacher Education Training Class under Brother Raymond Hart; was the co-developer of the Christian Family Focus Ministry with Brother Shelton Gibbs, III; served in the Missions Ministry under Brother Ray Christopher, with whom she and others traveled to Ghana, West Africa in 2006 and Abaca, Bahamas in 2007. She developed the Wednesday Night Ladies Bible Class in 1985 and taught it until 2015 when her health began to fail. As a charter member of the Young-at-Heart Ministry, she served as Editor-in-Chief of The SENIOR INFORMANT newsletter; and was the Founding Directress Emeritus of the Annual Adolescent and Ladies Symposium that has attracted hundreds of preteen, adolescent, and adult females over the years. A prolific writer, Sister Bell was blessed to pen the Symposium’s organizational vision, mission, structure, protocols, program format, Bylaws, oaths, and all participants’ concurrent sessions for many years. On May 2, 2026, the Symposium will celebrate its 40th anniversary.
Since 1951, Dr. Bell was a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Her local chapter was Alpha Xi Omega. To celebrate her longevity, Dr. Bell was recognized as a Golden Honoree in 2001, a Pearl Honoree in 2020, and as of January 1, 2026, a Diamond Honoree for her 75-year membership.
Her loved ones already miss her intensely yet find comfort in knowing that to die in Christ is gain. They include her husband, Deacon Harold Bell; daughters Cherie McMillan and Harolyn Bell; grandchildren, Colvin II and Colvalyn Stephens; sister-in-law, Helen Davenport (Reuben); 11 nieces and 6 nephews; a host of great nieces and nephews; first cousin, Zelma Ware; and extended family and friends.
Sister Bell wanted to be remembered as, “A saint who loved the Lord and found joy in serving others.”
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