her grandparents. She was the beloved only child of John E. & Ernestine Mattiza and was baptized and
confirmed in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Virginia attended Houston public schools and
graduated from Austin High School in 1948, where she met and fell in love with her future husband,
William Spencer Bell.
Virginia and W.S. were married at The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer on June 24, 1950,
in Houston, TX. W.S. served in the U.S. Air Force and the military sent them to Biloxi, MS, Wichita Falls,
TX, and Chicago, IL for training with their final assignment in Bermuda for two years. Upon return from
Bermuda, they made their home in Houston, TX where she remained her entire life. Virginia & W.S.
were blessed with their only child, Candace Elaine Bell, on November 14, 1956. Sadly, W.S. passed away
after a brief illness at the young age of 31 on March 18, 1961. Virginia adored and devoted her entire
life to raising her four-year-old daughter, Candace, after W. S. passed away. She was blessed with one
grandson, Travis Spencer Barrs, whom she cherished and enjoyed throughout his childhood, and one
great granddaughter, Emma Claire Barrs.
Virginia worked her entire adult life, beginning as a secretary with Peden Iron & Steel and ended her
career as a buyer for G.E. Oil & Gas, retiring in 2006, at the of age 75. Although work was necessary it
was not her whole life. She was a gifted artist who painted without any formal training. Her medium of
choice was oil, and her landscapes and animal paintings were beautiful beyond description.
After relocating to Humble, Virginia made her last home at the Watercrest Retirement Community in
Kingwood, Texas. She lived a full and active life and celebrated her 90th birthday earlier this year on
January 1st. Her health began to fail from complications of Parkinson’s in 2019, and she passed away at
Watercrest on April 20, 2021.
Virginia is preceded in death by her parents, John & Ernestine Mattiza, and her beloved husband, W.S.
Bell. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Candace & Barry Barrs of New Braunfels, TX, her
grandson & his wife, Travis and Lesley Barrs, and her great granddaughter, Emma Claire Barrs, all of
Cumming, GA. She will also be missed by her cousins, Gwen Zoch Kemp and Andrew Symmank, and
Gwen’s daughter, Kelley Kemp McDermott, Virginia’s adored god daughter.
She also leaves to mourn nieces and nephew, Diane Cutaia Griffin, Becky Cutaia, and Charlie Cutaia and
extended family members.
Virginia’s final resting place will be alongside her husband and parents. A private, graveside service will
be officiated by Linda Beth Perry, ordained Lay Minister in the United Methodist Church at Forest Park
Cemetery Lawndale, in Houston, Texas.
A special thank you and appreciation are extended to her faithful and loving caregivers, Gail Inferrera
and Maria Perales. Thank you also to Devotion Hospice for their compassionate care.
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