1919
Juanita
2017
Juanita Bell
August 23, 1919 — March 15, 2017
Funeral service for Juanita Bell will be held 2:00 p.m. Monday, March 20, 2017, at the MMS-Payne Funeral Home Chapel. Pastor Ken Hays will officiate. Burial will follow at Oakhaven Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be held on Sunday, March 19, 2017, from 1-6 p.m. with family greeting friends from 4-6.
Juanita Bell passed away on Wednesday, March 15, 2017, at the age of 97.
The youngest daughter of Oscar and Beatrice (Mudge) Dillon was born August 23, 1919, in Blocker, Oklahoma. As a young girl, her family relocated to Rogers County, settling in the Foyil area. She graduated from Foyil High School in 1937 and was proud to have played on the basketball team.
She met A.L. Bell Jr. while attending school. They began dating, and married on November 2, 1940. The young couple was active in the Foyil Round Up Club and Juanita enjoyed barrel racing. When A.L. joined the Army to serve in World War II, Juanita and her two young daughters moved to Claremore to be near family. She also took a job working for McDonnell-Douglas, which became a career as an executive secretary for over 30 years. She retired in the mid-1980’s. However, this wasn't her only job. In the late 1950's, Juanita and A.L. bought a ranch outside of Claremore, where she resided until moving back into town in 1984.
The move and retirement didn't slow her down any. It was during this time in her life that she became part of a singles RV club, known as the Loners on Wheels. She and the group took numerous weekend trips visiting many of the national parks. She also travelled with her friends every winter to the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. Into her eighties, she was still pulling her fifth wheel trailer behind her ¾ ton pickup to be a snow bird.
Over the years, Juanita enjoyed many things, including her growing family, bird watching and her beloved little dogs. She enjoyed the Foyil “lunch bunch” outings with fellow classmates. She was an avid card player and met regularly with long-time friends for highly competitive games of Pitch or Hand and Foot. She was also a longtime member of North Park Trinity Baptist Church.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Oscar and Beatrice Dillon; husband, A.L. Bell Jr., and siblings Paul Reynolds, Milton Reynolds and Aleatha Dunn.
She is survived by her daughters, Sharon (Bell) Brasier of Tulsa, and Andrea "Andy" Willis and husband Buck of Claremore; grandchildren, Dr. Cindy Brasier Perkins and husband Mike of Dallas, Texas, Cathy (Brasier Smart) Bentley and husband Richard of Broken Arrow, Michael Brasier of Tulsa, and John Brasier and wife Mitzi of Carbondale, Colorado; great-grandchildren, Drew, Libby, and Ty Perkins, Brandon and Abby Smart, and Antoinette and Josephine Brasier; and nephew, Steve Bell and wife Kim of Bartlesville.
Donations may be made to Claremore Animal Shelter, 815 W Ramm Rd, Claremore, OK 74017
View and sign Juanita's online tribute at www.mmsfuneralhomes .
Juanita Bell passed away on Wednesday, March 15, 2017, at the age of 97.
The youngest daughter of Oscar and Beatrice (Mudge) Dillon was born August 23, 1919, in Blocker, Oklahoma. As a young girl, her family relocated to Rogers County, settling in the Foyil area. She graduated from Foyil High School in 1937 and was proud to have played on the basketball team.
She met A.L. Bell Jr. while attending school. They began dating, and married on November 2, 1940. The young couple was active in the Foyil Round Up Club and Juanita enjoyed barrel racing. When A.L. joined the Army to serve in World War II, Juanita and her two young daughters moved to Claremore to be near family. She also took a job working for McDonnell-Douglas, which became a career as an executive secretary for over 30 years. She retired in the mid-1980’s. However, this wasn't her only job. In the late 1950's, Juanita and A.L. bought a ranch outside of Claremore, where she resided until moving back into town in 1984.
The move and retirement didn't slow her down any. It was during this time in her life that she became part of a singles RV club, known as the Loners on Wheels. She and the group took numerous weekend trips visiting many of the national parks. She also travelled with her friends every winter to the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. Into her eighties, she was still pulling her fifth wheel trailer behind her ¾ ton pickup to be a snow bird.
Over the years, Juanita enjoyed many things, including her growing family, bird watching and her beloved little dogs. She enjoyed the Foyil “lunch bunch” outings with fellow classmates. She was an avid card player and met regularly with long-time friends for highly competitive games of Pitch or Hand and Foot. She was also a longtime member of North Park Trinity Baptist Church.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Oscar and Beatrice Dillon; husband, A.L. Bell Jr., and siblings Paul Reynolds, Milton Reynolds and Aleatha Dunn.
She is survived by her daughters, Sharon (Bell) Brasier of Tulsa, and Andrea "Andy" Willis and husband Buck of Claremore; grandchildren, Dr. Cindy Brasier Perkins and husband Mike of Dallas, Texas, Cathy (Brasier Smart) Bentley and husband Richard of Broken Arrow, Michael Brasier of Tulsa, and John Brasier and wife Mitzi of Carbondale, Colorado; great-grandchildren, Drew, Libby, and Ty Perkins, Brandon and Abby Smart, and Antoinette and Josephine Brasier; and nephew, Steve Bell and wife Kim of Bartlesville.
Donations may be made to Claremore Animal Shelter, 815 W Ramm Rd, Claremore, OK 74017
View and sign Juanita's online tribute at www.mmsfuneralhomes .
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Juanita Bell, please visit our flower store.
Service Schedule
Past Services
Family will greet friends
Sunday, March 19, 2017
4:00 - 6:00 pm (Central time)
MMS - Payne Funeral Home & Cremation Service
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