Belva N. Bell

Private family services will be held at Runge Mortuary on Friday and she will be laid to rest at the National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in her honor to the COPD Foundation (copdfoundation.org; COPD Foundation, PO Box 160112, Miami, FL 33116) or the Bright Focus Foundation (brightfocus.org), which supports Macular Degeneration and Alzheimer’s research (BrightFocus Foundation, 22512 Gateway Center Dr., Clarksburg, MD 20871).

Belva was born on June 19, 1938, in Shellsburg, Iowa, to Glenn and Ione (Boyer) Wilt. She graduated from Iowa Wesleyan College with a bachelor’s degree in 1960. She began her career teaching biology and physical education in eastern Iowa. On Sept. 19, 1964, she was united in marriage to Thomas James (Jim) Bell in Cedar Rapids. That year they moved to Davenport and Belva continued teaching in western Illinois. Belva took a break from teaching when her children were born and after her youngest started school she began working with the Davenport Schools as a paraprofessional. She retired from the Davenport School District after over forty-five years of service.

She played collegiate basketball and continued her love of the game as a coach, referee and spectator. Belva also enjoyed her golf and bowling leagues. On game days, she could be found cheering on her beloved Iowa Hawkeyes and Chicago Cubs. Aside from sports, Belva’s passions included woodworking, gardening, baking, antiquing and international traveling.

Survivors include her daughter and spouse Janet (Robert) Bianchetta, Naperville, IL, and son Michael Bell, Davenport; grandchildren, Ryan Mosher and Hunter Bell, Davenport; and five great grandchildren.

Belva was preceded in death by her parents, husband and daughter-in-law.

The family would like to express their deepest gratitude for the incredible kindness, commitment, and compassion shown by all those who cared for Belva at the Kahl Home, and at Grand Haven Retirement Community.