of Batesville, AR

July 23, 1924 - March 21, 2015

Polly Lenehan Bell, age 90, of Batesville, died March 21, 2015, at White River Medical Center. She was born on July 23, 1924, in Batesville, Arkansas. She was the fourth of seven children born to John Peter Lenehan, Sr. and Maud Lattimer Lenehan, longtime Independence County residents.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. R. E. Bell, her parents; and sisters, Geraldine Lenehan and Montine Lenehan Campbell.

Survivors include three sons: David Eugene Bell and his wife, Mary Ann, of Batesville; Steven Lenehan Bell and his wife, Glenda, of Batesville; Michael Brent Bell and his wife, Debbie, of Galveston, Texas; five grandchildren: Christopher David Bell and his wife, Acker, of Little Rock, Arkansas; Megan Bell Bouchareb and her husband, Marouane, of Austin, Texas; Daniel Brent Bell and his wife, Debra, of Batesville; Steven Lenehan Bell, Jr. and his wife, Ann, of Charleston, South Carolina, and John Buffington Bell of Springdale, Arkansas; two step-grandchildren: Jennifer Dodds McClarty and her husband, T.R., of Little Rock, Arkansas, and Lauren Dodds of New Orleans, Louisiana; four great-grandchildren: Penick and Sullivan Bell of Little Rock; Rufus Bell of Batesville; and Luca Bouchareb of Austin, Texas. In addition, she is survived by sisters Katherine L. Stokes of Batesville, Betty Jo Hall of Turner, Arkansas, Tommie Kelley and her husband, Henry, of Heber Springs, Arkansas; and a brother, John Peter Lenehan, Jr. and his wife, Charlotte, of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Mrs. Bell is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Bell graduated from Batesville High School as valedictorian of her class, and in 1946, she graduated from Arkansas College (now Lyon College). After teaching school in Camden, Arkansas, she married Dr. R. E. Bell and moved back to Batesville, when Dr. Bell entered a joint dental practice with Dr. R.A. Craig. Mrs. Bell gave up her teaching career when her children were born but continued her interest in education. She taught kindergarten classes before kindergarten was integrated into the public schools. She worked with the Laubach Literacy Council and taught classes for Vietnamese and other non-English speaking residents who moved into Independence County. She served on the founding board of Help and Hope and on the Community School Board. She spent many hours involved in Presbyterian Church activities teaching a college Sunday School class for several years and serving on the State Presbyterian Women's Board. She was awarded an Honorary Life Membership in Presbyterian Women, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Mrs. Bell was an avid tennis player, cherished her bridge club friends, and her chocolate chip cookies will be missed by all. After the birth of her grandchildren, Mrs. Bell developed an interest and skill in photography and spent a great deal of time photographing her grandchildren as well as Independence County scenery. She equipped a dark room in her home where she developed her pictures and won many Independence County Fair ribbons for her exhibited work. For several years, she displayed her photographs of Independence County scenery in the hallways of White River Medical Center.

The family wishes to thank Dr. Bob Walton and Mrs. Bell's caregivers, Wilma Falwell and Ellen Sarg, and her special helper, Tammy Millsap.

There will be a private burial. A memorial service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church, 775 East Boswell Street, Batesville, Arkansas, on Friday, March 27, 2015, at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church, 775 E. Boswell Street, Batesville, AR 72501, or to the Bell-Lenehan Scholarship Fund at Lyon College, 2300 Highland, Batesville, AR 72501

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