SEYMOUR
Wanda L. Bell, 86, of Seymour, passed away Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015, at The Crossing in Seymour.
Born Aug. 30, 1928, in Freetown, she was the daughter of Orville D. and Ellen Stafford Cockerham. On Feb. 23, 1946, in Brownstown, she married Russell R. Bell, and he survives.
Wanda was married at the age of 17 while a senior in high school. She used to tell stories about going to her principal and asking permission to take a week off to get married. She would laugh and say he didn’t know what to do because no one had done that before.
She loved to crochet and won grand champion at the Indiana State Fair with a bedspread she had made. She and her husband of nearly 69 years enjoyed traveling and had been in every state but Alaska and Hawaii. The true joys of her life, though, were her great-grandchildren, whom she adored. She worked at Arvin Industires in Seymour and retired from Cummins Engine Co. in Walesboro, where she was known as “Ma Bell.” She spent countless hours each year canning fruits and vegetables her husband had raised in their garden. She loved to cook and was known for her homemade pies and noodles. She was a member of Seymour Christ Temple.
Survivors include her husband, Russell; two daughters, Edna (Martin) Pfoutz and Elois (Kenny) Green; grandchildren, Chris (Jenny) Pfoutz and Courtney (Jason) Albrecht, Kendra (John) Harris and Darla (Ben) Rorick; great-grandchildren, Kyle and Ryan Pfoutz, Maya Albrecht, Paige Albrecht, John Jr. “Johnny” and Kenneth Russell “Rusty” Harris and Brayden, Bryce and Brennen Rorick.
She was preceded in death by her parents and brothers, Homer, J.C. and Walter Lee Cockerham.
The funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Winklepleck-Weesner Funeral Home in Brownstown with the Rev. Dennis Allman Sr. officiating.
Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until time of service service Wednesday at the funeral home.
Burial will take place at Fairview Cemetery, Brownstown.
Memorial donations may be made to Seymour Christ Temple in Seymour.
Online condolences: www.weesnerfh.com