Betty (Blake) Bell, 84, of Carlinville, died on Wednesday, July 7, 2021, at 12:50 a.m. peacefully with her family by her side.
Per her request, there will be no funeral services. A private family gathering will be held at a later date. Heinz Funeral Home in Carlinville is assisting the family.
Mrs. Bell was born July 31, 1936, in Chicago, to Reno and Dorothy (Morse) Blake. She married Robert H. Bell, Jr., and he preceded her in death.
In the years after raising her family, she faithfully participated in numerous activities at the Carlinville Memorial Christian Church and was a frequent visitor and patron of the Carlinville Public Library.
Anyone who knew Mrs. Bell was aware of her voracious appetite for reading, which served as a constant source of entertainment and companionship over the years.
She always said her family was her proudest accomplishment, but they suspect it was her ability to inspire three generations of lifelong readers with whom she could share her love of the written word.
Mrs. Bell is survived by her children, Deehan (Robert) Rives, Robert Bell III, Christopher (Jennifer) Bell and Leisha (Lance) Ballinger; grandchildren, Haley (Eric) Siefert, Shelby (Rik) Denicke, Antonio (Arem) Ulloa, Mallory (Tyler) Ramsey, Hillary (Preston) Feltrop and Jordan (Blake) Leefers; great-grandchildren, Orion, Rowan, Keller, Riley, Julian, Finn, Halen, Collins, Summit and Huxlee, whom her joy, laughter and entertaining, yet eccentric sense of humor will live on; and her four-legged main man in her life, Mickey, who served as an unwavering companion during the final stage of her life.
In addition to her husband of 58 years, she was preceded in death by her brother, Reno Blake.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Carlinville Public Library or Macoupin County Animal Control and Adoption Center. Online condolences to the family may be left at www.heinzfuneralhome.com.
