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BORN
1928
DIED
2025
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Joan Bell Obituary
After attending Roosevelt High School and St. Olaf College, Joan married Donald Bell in 1952 and enjoyed teaching home economics during his medical school years in Minneapolis, Duluth, and Rochester. Joan then left teaching to raise four children and applied her home-ec skills by sewing most of their clothes, baking, cooking, and making her home welcoming to all who entered. The neighborhood kids called her "Ma Bell" and they all knew where the "cookie can" was.
Joan and Don filled their lives with many hockey, football, and baseball games; travelling abroad; camping trips across the west and Alaska; cabin time at Camp Lake and Woman Lake; involvement at Westwood Lutheran Church; and special times with their close medical school friends. After Don died in 1992, Joan continued to travel and enjoy cabin time; volunteered with several groups including Loaves & Fishes and the Luther Seminary FRIENDS; and became an accomplished quilter. Through it all, family remained her primary passion.
Joan is survived by her children Cindy (Steve) Huseth, Craig (Laurie) Bell, Barb (Jeb) Barzen, and Dave (Mary Walker) Bell; nine grandchildren; and six great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband, parents, and her brothers Donald H. Nelson and Richard K. Nelson.
A celebration of Joan's life will be held on May 21, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church in Northfield, MN. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church and a reception will follow. Interment will be with her husband in Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis. The family asks that any donations made in memory of Joan be directed to Westwood Lutheran Church Foundation (westwoodfoundation.org), St. John's Lutheran Church Foundation (stjohnsnorthfield.org/giving/foundation), Northfield Retirement Community by Vivie (vivie.org/foundation- select Northfield Retirement Community) or to donor's choice.
A very special thank you to the Northfield Retirement Center staff for providing excellent care for Joan over the past several years.
Online condolences available at www.northfieldfuneral.com.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memorial Events
for Joan Bell
May
21
Funeral services provided by:
Bierman Funeral Home - Northfield1316 Division St. S., Northfield, MN 55057
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