Sarah Everett Mardre Bell, resident of Baldwin Park until recently, died Sunday February 22, 2004 at King's Daughters' Community Health & Rehabilitation Center after a brief illness.
She was born November 16, 1904 in Boston, Georgia to William Thomas and Cassie Haddock Groover Mardre, the oldest of four daughters. She was a 1926 graduate of Valdosta State College for Women and worked for Fenner and Bean Brokerage, Atlanta. She also was secretary and bookkeeper at Greenwood Plantation, Thomasville, Georgia, where, on May 12, 1931, she was married to the late Dr. Rudolph Bell in a garden wedding. She and her husband made their home in Thomasville until his death June 15, 1987.
In 1990 she moved to Staunton. While a resident of Baldwin Park, she led an aerobics class, organized the Men's Chorus, now the Baldwin Park Chorus, and until last year, scheduled the programs for the weekly "Hymn Sing" held every Sunday evening. She was a long time member of First Baptist Church, Thomasville, Georgia, and was active as an associate member of Memorial Baptist Church, Staunton.
Survivors include a son, Dr. Rudolph Mardre Bell and his wife, Caroline; four grandsons, Rudolph Mardre Bell, Jr. and wife, Tamme of Greenville, South Carolina; Dr. Alfred Dudley Bell and wife, Julia of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Andrew McIlwaine Bell of Arlington, David Beverley Bell of Boulder, Colorado; two granddaughters, Mary Katharine Bell Kammer and husband, William of Stafford, Sarah Virginia Bell Meekhof and husband, John of Dumfries. Also surviving are four great-grandsons: Thomis Gregory Kammer, Philip Mardre Meekhof, Rudolph Benjamin Bell, and Daniel Amadeo Bell; nine great-granddaughters: Elaine Victoria Kammer, Elizabeth Marie Bell, Emily Caroline Bell, Erin Katherine Meekhof, Stacey Christina Meekhof, Rebecca Sarah Meekhof, Caroline Frazer Bell, Katherine Julia Bell, and Susannah Everett Bell. In addition she is survived by two sisters, Anne Mardre Searcy of Thomasville, Georgia and Virginia Mardre Krech of Mt. Dora, Florida, a nephew, William Krech of Mt. Dora; and five nieces, Cassie Krech and Mary Ann Krech, also of Mt. Dora, Caroline Krech Balisteries of San Diego, Gail Goodwin Stringer and Sarah Virginia Goodwin, both of Albany, Georgia.
She was predeceased by her husband, Dr. Rudolph Bell, by a sister, Mary Mardre Goodwin, and by a nephew, Thomas Goodwin.
Mrs. Bell was an active volunteer in the community of Thomasville. She was the first Cub Scouts den mother in the city, working with the Rev. Shirley. She initiated the first Cub Scouts Banquet. She was proud of the fact that of the ten members of the original den, three boys ultimately attained the rank of Eagle Scout. She enjoyed working with young people and taught nine-year-old Juniors in the Sunday school at First Baptist Church.
During World War II, she was a Red Cross Volunteer and recalled meeting "every troop train that came through", distributing box lunches to the soldiers.
Mrs. Bell served as President of the Medical Auxiliary of Archbold Memorial Hospital for twelve years. She accumulated over two thousand hours of service as a "Pink Lady" volunteer in the hospital's Emergency Department.
As President of the Tallyho Garden Club, she helped to implement the Old Fashioned Supper as an annual fundraiser for the club. She was also a member of and consultant for the American Rose Society. She tested newly developed hybrid roses in her garden for Jackson and Perkins. She was President of the Thomasville Rose Society and gave a Perpetual Trophy for the Annual Rose Show.
She was a member and served as historian of the John B. Gordon Chapter, UDC. She enjoyed traveling in the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii; Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and South America, most frequently with her husband of fifty-six years.
A funeral service will be held at Memorial Baptist Church, Wednesday February 25, 2004 at 11:00 AM conducted by the Rev. Temple Myers. Friends may greet the family from 10:15 AM until 10:45 AM and immediately following the service. Burial will be in the family plot at Laurel Hill Cemetery, Thomasville, Georgia on Saturday, February 28, 2004 at 11:00AM.
Memorials may be made to Memorial Baptist Church, Staunton, or to First Baptist Church, Thomasville.
McDow Funeral Home of Waynesboro is in charge of arrangements in Waynesboro, VA and Allen & Allen Funeral Home is in charge of arrangement in Thomasville, GA.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Sarah Everett Mardre Bell, please visit our flower store.
She was born November 16, 1904 in Boston, Georgia to William Thomas and Cassie Haddock Groover Mardre, the oldest of four daughters. She was a 1926 graduate of Valdosta State College for Women and worked for Fenner and Bean Brokerage, Atlanta. She also was secretary and bookkeeper at Greenwood Plantation, Thomasville, Georgia, where, on May 12, 1931, she was married to the late Dr. Rudolph Bell in a garden wedding. She and her husband made their home in Thomasville until his death June 15, 1987.
In 1990 she moved to Staunton. While a resident of Baldwin Park, she led an aerobics class, organized the Men's Chorus, now the Baldwin Park Chorus, and until last year, scheduled the programs for the weekly "Hymn Sing" held every Sunday evening. She was a long time member of First Baptist Church, Thomasville, Georgia, and was active as an associate member of Memorial Baptist Church, Staunton.
Survivors include a son, Dr. Rudolph Mardre Bell and his wife, Caroline; four grandsons, Rudolph Mardre Bell, Jr. and wife, Tamme of Greenville, South Carolina; Dr. Alfred Dudley Bell and wife, Julia of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Andrew McIlwaine Bell of Arlington, David Beverley Bell of Boulder, Colorado; two granddaughters, Mary Katharine Bell Kammer and husband, William of Stafford, Sarah Virginia Bell Meekhof and husband, John of Dumfries. Also surviving are four great-grandsons: Thomis Gregory Kammer, Philip Mardre Meekhof, Rudolph Benjamin Bell, and Daniel Amadeo Bell; nine great-granddaughters: Elaine Victoria Kammer, Elizabeth Marie Bell, Emily Caroline Bell, Erin Katherine Meekhof, Stacey Christina Meekhof, Rebecca Sarah Meekhof, Caroline Frazer Bell, Katherine Julia Bell, and Susannah Everett Bell. In addition she is survived by two sisters, Anne Mardre Searcy of Thomasville, Georgia and Virginia Mardre Krech of Mt. Dora, Florida, a nephew, William Krech of Mt. Dora; and five nieces, Cassie Krech and Mary Ann Krech, also of Mt. Dora, Caroline Krech Balisteries of San Diego, Gail Goodwin Stringer and Sarah Virginia Goodwin, both of Albany, Georgia.
She was predeceased by her husband, Dr. Rudolph Bell, by a sister, Mary Mardre Goodwin, and by a nephew, Thomas Goodwin.
Mrs. Bell was an active volunteer in the community of Thomasville. She was the first Cub Scouts den mother in the city, working with the Rev. Shirley. She initiated the first Cub Scouts Banquet. She was proud of the fact that of the ten members of the original den, three boys ultimately attained the rank of Eagle Scout. She enjoyed working with young people and taught nine-year-old Juniors in the Sunday school at First Baptist Church.
During World War II, she was a Red Cross Volunteer and recalled meeting "every troop train that came through", distributing box lunches to the soldiers.
Mrs. Bell served as President of the Medical Auxiliary of Archbold Memorial Hospital for twelve years. She accumulated over two thousand hours of service as a "Pink Lady" volunteer in the hospital's Emergency Department.
As President of the Tallyho Garden Club, she helped to implement the Old Fashioned Supper as an annual fundraiser for the club. She was also a member of and consultant for the American Rose Society. She tested newly developed hybrid roses in her garden for Jackson and Perkins. She was President of the Thomasville Rose Society and gave a Perpetual Trophy for the Annual Rose Show.
She was a member and served as historian of the John B. Gordon Chapter, UDC. She enjoyed traveling in the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii; Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and South America, most frequently with her husband of fifty-six years.
A funeral service will be held at Memorial Baptist Church, Wednesday February 25, 2004 at 11:00 AM conducted by the Rev. Temple Myers. Friends may greet the family from 10:15 AM until 10:45 AM and immediately following the service. Burial will be in the family plot at Laurel Hill Cemetery, Thomasville, Georgia on Saturday, February 28, 2004 at 11:00AM.
Memorials may be made to Memorial Baptist Church, Staunton, or to First Baptist Church, Thomasville.
McDow Funeral Home of Waynesboro is in charge of arrangements in Waynesboro, VA and Allen & Allen Funeral Home is in charge of arrangement in Thomasville, GA.
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