Janet Lou Bell

Janet Lou Bell passed away peacefully July 24th, 2025, in Bartlett, Texas. She was born to Herbert James Happs and Ida [Mewherter] Happs on October 25th, 1927, at Jane Lamb Hospital in Clinton, IA. She was a Christian and was baptized at the First Presbyterian Church in Clinton, IA. She graduated from Clinton High School in 1946. She met and fell in love with Robert [Bob] Bell during her senior year in high school. He had just come home from serving in WWII. They eloped in Dixon, Illinois on May 11th, 1946. Bob’s sister Leone Carlsen and her husband Carl Carlsen stood up for them. After high school graduation they lived and started their family in Clinton, IA and then moved to southern California in 1951. She and Bob lived in the Los Angeles, CA area raising the children, Roland [Rollie], Luann and Margaret. Janet was employed as a secretarial administrator in the aerospace industry for many years. She was involved in Cub Scouts, Blue Birds and Girl Scouts and was active in the Evelyn Carr Elementary School PTA [Torrance, CA]. Being empty nestors in 1974 they semi-retired to Paradise, CA and lived there until they moved to Temple, TX in 2017 to be closer to their son and daughter-in-law. Fortunately, they missed the terrible “Camp Fire” that burned down their old home but also almost that entire mountain community. After retiring in Paradise, CA she volunteered at the Feather River Hospice gift shop for a number of years. She was an excellent cook, loved gardening, shopping, travel, going to Bob’s Navy ship reunions, camping out, playing cards and Mexican Trains. She especially liked to hang out with family on holidays or Sunday afternoons to enjoy a meal and visit. She and Bob were married for almost 79 years before he passed away in January 2025. She leaves behind her brother Gary Happs, her cousin Jack Housenga, her son Roland [Donna] Bell, her daughter Luann [John] Ballachey [John affectionally called “Butter Cup”], son in law Wally Hutton, grandchildren Kimberly Hutton, Matthew [Sonja] Bell, Maureen [Vicki] Bell, Joshua Grooms, six great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild and numerous nieces and nephews. Those preceding her to the heavenly gates are her husband Bob, her parents, her sisters Theo [Edward] Laurent, Marilyn [Kenneth] Lahm, her infant brother Carroll Happs, daughter Margaret [Eve] Hutton, an infant granddaughter Evelyn and her granddaughter Michelle Hutton-Fosdick. There will be a private gathering at some future date in Clinton, IA where her ashes will be spread.

Janet Lou Bell

October 25, 1927 - July 24, 2025