Obituary of Josephine Ann Bell

Josephine Ann Bell was a loving wife and mother from her early days until her recent passing. She met and married her husband, Seth Edward, in Olean, New York. Their wedding took place on October 20, 1951. Their first five children were born in Olean before they moved to Florida in 1959. After living two years in Nocatee, Florida, the family relocated to Solana, a neighborhood near Punta Gorda, Florida. There she lived until the end of her life. She gave birth to two more children in Florida. The youngest passed away six months from birth. The family attended The Episcopal Church Of The Good Shepherd in Punta Gorda from the time of their arrival in Solana. Josephine was a long-time active member of the Alter Guild at that church. During the early years of her marriage, she was a stay-at-home Mom, a responsibility she relished and enjoyed. Once most of her children were finished with high school she applied for and obtained a job as a School Bus Driver, a position she held for over 21 years. After that she was a Teacher’s aide at, then, Baker Academy’s Head Start program. During all these years she was a constant aid to her husband in keeping the books of his Construction business. She enjoyed music and was excellent at the Jitter Bug. She was also an accomplished cook and seamstress. She eventually took on the hobby of Cake Decorating and made, among other things, Wedding Cakes for many of her children’s weddings as well as Cakes for other special occasions of her family and friends. Over the years she achieved the level of a twenty five (25) gallon blood donor, something of which she was quite proud. She was predeceased by her Husband. She is survived by her children, Michael Bell, Jodi McDaniel, Peter Bell, Timothy Bell, Jeffery Bell, and William Bell as well as her twenty (20) grandchildren and twenty-four (24) great-grandchildren. A Memorial Service is scheduled for February 24th at The Good Shepherd Church in Punta Gorda at eleven (11) a.m. followed by a memorial gathering in the Church’s Parrish Hall. A private Interment Ceremony will occur later this year at the family cemetery near Olean, New York. Flowers may be sent to the church for the service or in lieu thereof, a donation can be made to the American Heart Association.