Margaret Irene Bell Margaret Irene Bell, 92, of Lafayette, passed away Tuesday, May 2, 2017, at Mulberry Health & Retirement Center. She was born August 25, 1924 to Clarence and Norma Davis Calder. Margaret attended all 12 years at Waynetown School and graduated in 1942. She married the love of her life, Lester PaulContinue Reading
Margaret Irene Bell
Margaret Irene Bell, 92, of Lafayette, passed away Tuesday, May 2, 2017, at Mulberry Health & Retirement Center. She was born August 25, 1924 to Clarence and Norma Davis Calder. Margaret attended all 12 years at Waynetown School and graduated in 1942. She married the love of her life, Lester Paul Bell, on February 5, 1944. They met in high school when he moved to Waynetown.
Margaret worked at a grocery store, a dime store, and a shirt factory where she sewed pockets on shirts for soldiers during WWII. After marriage, Margaret and Lester had four children: Carolyn, Connie, Ronnie, and Patti Jo. They farmed for fifty years in Benton and Montgomery counties, eventually buying a small farm near Waynetown. Margaret was a wonderful wife, mother, and grandmother. As a farmer’s wife, she helped Lester farm, driving tractors, trucks, and going for repair parts. She also took hot meals to Lester when he was in the field. She was a great seamstress and sewed many of her kid’s clothes. She planted large gardens, canned and froze the vegetables and fruits, and made jams and jellies for the year. Grandkids especially loved her black raspberry jelly. Margaret was a fantastic cook. She made lots of desserts for her own family, for family dinners, and for other events, but she especially enjoyed trying to satisfy Lester’s sweet tooth. She often teased him saying that she was “just trying to sweeten him up.” Margaret loved having grandkids come and stay, and they loved staying with Grandma and Grandpa on the farm.
Margaret was raised in a Christian family and faithfully raised her own family in church. As a young girl, Margaret attended Christian Union Church near Waynetown and Waynetown Christian Church. After their marriage, Margaret and Lester attended Fowler Christian Church where Margaret taught Sunday School and Bible School. Along with Lester, she helped start Woodland Heights Christian Church at Crawfordsville where she was one of 28 charter members. When Lester and Margaret retired from farming in 1989, they began attending Faith Church in Lafayette where she enjoyed the fellowship with ABF classes, Caleb’s Kin, serving at The Living Nativity, The Passion Play, and other church events. Margaret also enjoyed visiting family and friends, traveling, playing cards and games, and growing beautiful flowers. For twenty plus years, Margaret and Lester went to Arby’s nearly every day to eat lunch with a group of friends they met at Arby’s.
Margaret is rejoining her beloved husband, Lester, who passed away March 2, 2017. Surviving, are two brothers: Robert Calder of Crawfordsville (wife, Betty), Curtis Calder of Crawfordsville (wife, Letty), her children: Carolyn Sarjent of Lafayette (husband, Gail, deceased), Connie Cash of Brookston (husband, Richard), Ronald Bell of Crawfordsville (wife, Vickie), and Patricia Oldfather of Indianapolis (husband, Tim). Margaret is also survived by 10 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.
Visitation will be Friday, May 5 from 5-8 p.m. at Soller-Baker Lafayette Chapel 400 Twyckenham Blvd. Lafayette, IN. Funeral service will be Saturday, May 6 at 10 a.m. at Faith Church at 5526 State Road 26 East, Lafayette, IN. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. at Waynetown Masonic Cemetery, State Road 136 W, Waynetown, IN.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Margaret’s name to Faith Christian School or Alzheimer’s Disease Research.
Your condolence may need to be approved before it appears on this page. It may not appear immediately once submitted.
Your condolence may need to be approved before it appears on this page. It may not appear immediately once submitted.
Your condolence may need to be approved before it appears on this page. It may not appear immediately once submitted.
Thank you for leaving a condolence.
Your comment has been submitted for moderation.