Eldon Lewis BELL

BELL, LARSEN, BAKER, SORENSEN, CARD, PALS, POLAND, GINAPP, NEAL

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/19/2010 at 20:14:11

Mason City Globe Gazette, Iowa
January 27, 2005

THORNTON, IA — Eldon Lewis Bell, 86, of 240th Street, rural Thornton, died Wednesday (Jan. 26, 2005) at his home. Funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday at United Methodist Church, Alexander. The Rev. Tony Hershey will be officiating. Interment will be in Pleasant Valley Cemetery in Thornton. Visitation will be from 4:30 to 7 p.m today at Retz-Grarup Funeral Home, Thornton, and continues one hour prior to services at church Saturday.

Eldon Bell was born January 13, 1919, on the farm at Alexander, the son of Lewis and Dora (Larsen) Bell. He attended and graduated from Alexander High School with the class of 1936. Eldon was united in marriage to Luverne Baker on July 19, 1941, at Bethany, Mo. He farmed for most of his life in Alexander and Thornton. He enjoyed operating his farm machinery and equipment. His sons fondly remember him teaching them the skills of driving tractors and other farm equipment, and watching him milk the cows at an early age. Eldon also loved horses, raising ponies and sharing this love of animals with his family. For a number of years he raised and milked a heard of Holsteins. He was one of the first farmers in the area to own a combine and was a devoted John Deere enthusiast. Eldon's lifelong passion for the career of farming continued through this past fall when he could be found spending time operating a combine at age 85. Eldon had done some custom work for farmers in the area driving grain truck and custom baling. In earlier years, Eldon and his wife Luverne loved to travel to the Surf Ballroom to ballroom dance. He enjoyed the polka as well. The couple had spent several years at Magic Valley Park, Weslaco, Texas, where he was active in senior pool leagues. Another favorite pastime was playing horseshoes with friends and neighborhood groups and participating in dart leagues at the church. Eldon was an avid fan of westerns and liked watching golf on TV. He also enjoyed going to sales. He was a member of United Methodist Church, Alexander. He loved times with his family and the opportunity to share the love of the farm and life with his sons and their families. He had a warm and friendly personality. One of his favorite sayings was "It will all turn out all right."

Those left to cherish the memory of his life include his wife and life partner of 63 years, Luverne, Thornton; sons, Douglas of Minneapolis, Richard and wife, Julie, of Thornton, and Dennis and wife, Gloria, of Lincoln, Neb.; six grandchildren, Alison Bell, Kansas City, Kan., Aaron and Kimberlee Bell, Eudora, Kan., Megan Bell, Des Moines, Tammy and Harlan Sorensen, Clay Center, Neb., Bryan and Lisa Bell, Lincoln, Neb., and Trent and Jenny Bell, Omaha, Neb.; great-grandchildren, Jessica and Abigail Sorensen, Clay Center, Neb., Garrett and Hayley Bell, Lincoln, Neb., Karissa, Nicholas and Hannah Bell, Omaha, Neb., and Emalee Bell, Eudora, Kan.; four sisters, Lavonne and husband, Dallas Card, and Alma Pals, all of Alexander, Iowa, Dorothy and husband, Cliff Poland, Rockwell, and Inez Ginapp, Belmond; several nieces, nephews, and cousins, and a sister-in-law, Jean Baker, Sheffield. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Erma Neal, Garner; brothers-in-law Glen Neal, Garner, Kenet Ginapp, Belmond, Russell Baker, Thornton, and Willie Pals, Alexander; two nephews, Duane Card, Alexander and Larry Neal, Garner, niece, Mary Ann Baker, Thornton. Retz-Grarup Funeral Home, Thornton.