Bell, Mary Fowler (1913-1955)

BELL, FOWLER, RIFEN, SCHAUMBERG, SCHAUMBURG

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 2/20/2017 at 15:42:53

Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, Iowa, Monday, April 25, 1955

Funeral services for Mrs. Melvin Bell, 41, of Goldfield, who died of an accidental gun wound, were held at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Mary's Catholic church in Williams. The Rev. Father Mullins of Eagle Grove officiated with burial in the Catholic cemetery at Williams.

Rosary was at 8 o'clock Sunday evening at the Foster funeral home in Webster City.

Mrs. Bell died Saturday when a gun her son, Robert, 11, was handling discharged, the bullet striking her in the back. The gun was described as a "broken and discarded" rifle by authorities who said the boy was apparently trying to put the gun together in another room and was unaware there was a shell in it.

Mary Margaret Fowler, daughter of Roy and Elizabeth Fowler, was born Sept. 8, 1913, on a farm northeast of Blairsburg. She was reared in the Blairsburg community and graduated from Blairsburg high school in 1931.

She was united in marriage Dec. 28, 1937, to Melvin Bell. Mr. and Mrs. Bell farmed in Hamilton county until six years ago when they moved to their present farm home seven and three-fourths miles northwest of Goldfield.

She is survived by her husband, four sons and four daughters: Laverne of Williams; Bernard, Donald and Robert at home; Mrs. Dwayne (LaVonne) Rifen of Eagle Grove; Mrs. LeRoy (Barbara) Schaumberg of Clarion; Maryann and Carol, at home. Also surviving are two grandchildren, Michael Howard and Steven Dwayne Rifen; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Fowler of Blairsburg; three brothers, John Fowler of Hampton, Francis Fowler of Blairsburg and Maurice Fowler of San Diego, Calif.

Mrs. Bell was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic faith. She was a member of the Music Mothers club and the Friendly Neighbors club at Goldfield.

A kind and loving wife and mother, her chief interests were her home and family. She was also intensely interested in school activities and participated in all such events wherever her help was requested.