Vicki Ann Bell

Vicki Ann Bell, beloved Sister and friend, departed this life October 4th, 2021. Survived by her brother, David Bell of Huntsville, Alabama, several aunts, uncles, cousins and countless dear friends. She was preceded in death by her father, Lucian Bell and mother, Bette H. Bell Pena of Huntsville.

Vicki was born in Florida but moved to Huntsville in 1955 when her father joined Von Braun’s rocket team. Soon afterwards her family purchased a house on Monte Sano, where she spent a magical childhood climbing trees, riding horses at the State Park, wandering the woods with her beloved Collie dog, Penny, and making pets out of chipmunks and snakes (much to the chagrin of her mother). She was a 1969 graduate of Lee High School and received her bachelor’s degree from Auburn University and her Juris Doctor from Shepard Broad Law Center of Nova University in 1990. She practiced law in Huntsville, Alabama.

Vicki was an accomplished equestrian, having owned horses since she was 16. She participated in dressage competitions while living in South Florida and riding with both the Mells and Mooreland Hunts upon returning to Huntsville. Vicki loved animals, especially her Danes. She volunteered with Huntsville Animal Services and was active in wildlife rescue. If you visited her when she had the rescue squirrels out to play, you would likely end up with one climbing up your leg or sitting on your head.

Vicki was a watercolor artist of talent. She played the piano as a teenager and then took up the guitar. There was no challenge that Vicki couldn’t master, if she put her mind to it. An avid reader, history and fiction being among her favorites. A lover of music, from opera to the Allman Brothers Band. She also loved poetry and could quote the poems of Robert Service or Caroline Norton’s “The Arab’s Farewell to his Steed”.

Vicki was always adventurous. Her past travels took her to Egypt, Mexico, Spain, Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales. Following her riding days, she took up sailing with her boat The Cardiff Rose (based upon the Roger McGuinn song “Jolly Roger”). She enjoyed the sailing community of the Lake Guntersville Sailing Club. Her ultimate goal was to have sailed her boat down the Tenn-Tom and into the Caribbean and from there, whereever the wind took her.

A memorial service will be held Friday at 11:00 am, October 22nd at St. Thomas Episcopal Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Huntsville Animal Services or your local wildlife rescue organization. Or heck, go on an adventure, do something out of your comfort zone… and think of her. As she would often quote from one of the favorite books; “Time Enough For Love”, by Robert Heinlein, “Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. moderation is for monks.”