Armenta Ruth Lee Bell, 91, was born February 6, 1932 in Brownfield, Texas to the late Benjamine Franklin Lee and Maggie Aileen Hammett Lee. She went home to be with Jesus Christ on Monday, February 13, 2023 at Taylor Regional Hospital in Campbellsville, KY.

She was a dedicated, loving and supportive pastors’ wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother for over seventy-seven years. She set a strong Godly Christian example for everyone who met or knew her. Sister Ruth and her husband Rev. Lowell Bell pastored 12 Nazarene churches in 6 states: Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kentucky and Louisiana. They also served on many work and witness mission trips in the United States and Mexico, Dominican Republic and other countries serving God and those in need. Sister Ruth served in many capacities within the church. She served as the Louisiana State Commander for DAVA co-siding with her husband’s Louisiana State Chaplin duties. She also served on the Sabine Parish Hospital Auxiliary in Many, Louisiana in the 1980’s.

Ruth Lee and Lowell Bell were joined in marriage on November 22, 1950.

Ruth graduated from Brownfield High School in Brownfield Texas in 1949. After high school, she attended Bethany Nazarene College (now Bethany Nazarene University) in Bethany, Oklahoma where she studied music, home economics and church ministry in the 1950’s. She graduated from Tailoring school in Jonesboro, Arkansas in the 1960’s. 

Sister Bell held numerous positions: accountant, billing and inventory manager over three large Dry Goods, Farm Equipment and Clothing stores owned by the same owner. Ruth taught organ and piano for over 55 years teaching children, teens and adults. She taught many pastor wives to play, for free, to help assist their husbands in their pastorates. 

Following her marriage to her husband Rev. Lowell Bell they moved to Craig Air Force Base, Selma, Alabama where she worked at the “Ma Bell Telephone Co” while Lowell served his 4 years in the Air Force. They pastored a small church 50 miles away from the base as well as she becoming a new mother.

Sister Ruth had a love for teaching. She established “Mrs. Bell’s Reading Readyners School” in her home teaching pre-school and kindergartners reading, writing and math for ten years. Her school would accommodate fifteen students. She was recognized for her teaching ability as school principals would refer students in danger of failing for private tutoring in reading and math. Sister Ruth was acknowledged as being highly knowledgeable in the area of dyslexia and helped numerous students to learn with this learning challenge.

Up until Mrs. Bell’s death she was speaking affirmation over people, witnessing to all she met, encouraging them to attend church and live a Godly life. Most of all she let Gods’ light shine through her on others.  She loved them all and would give all for God to others. It was a priority to love and pray for her children and spouses, grandchildren and spouses, great grandchildren and all her extended family every day for God’s protection and blessings on their lives.   

Besides Sister Ruth’s parents, she was proceeded in death by her husband, Rev. Lowell Bell on November 7, 2007; one daughter, Rebecca Sue Bell Dziekan on December 20, 2008; a son-in-law, Larry D. Cox, MD; two brothers: Jay Lee Shelburne and William Andrew Lee; one sister, Clara Velma Storks; four brothers-in-law: Walton Edwin Buchanan, James Doyle Sams, William Bell, & Leon Bell; and two sisters-in-law: Ruby Bell & Gladdis Bell.

SURVIVORS:

1 daughter: Amaryllis Bell Lobb & husband Mike Lobb of Mount Sherman, KY

Son-in-law: Dennis Dziekan of Many, Louisiana

1 sister: Benney Frances Sams of Plainview, TX

4 grandchildren: Stephen M. Lobb & wife Jamie of Summersville, KY, Dwayne Lobb & wife Amanda of Danville, KY, Timothy Dziekan of Winnsboro, Louisiana and Donna Dziekan of Many, Louisiana

6 great-grandchildren: Zachary Lobb, Xander Lobb, & Violet Lobb all of Summersville, KY and Madison Lobb, Parker Lobb, & Joy Lobb of Danville, KY

A host of other relatives & friends

Funeral Service: Saturday, February 25, 2023 at 2:00pmCT at the Many Church of the Nazarene in Many, Louisiana with Rev. Daniel Lowe officiating

Interment: Prospect Cemetery in Florien, Louisiana

Visitation: After 12:00pmCT on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at the church

Pallbearers: Stephen Lobb, Zachary Lobb, Timothy Dziekan, Dennis Dziekan, Jerome Dziekan, Jason Dziekan, & Barry Goss

Honorary Pallbearers: Winona Sepalvado, Anita Elhage, & Zander Lobb 

The family of Armenta Ruth Lee Bell would like to thank all the Nazarene churches for the kindness you have shown to Sister Ruth Bell, also a special thanks to all the staff and friends at Bluegrass Way Assisted Living Apartments and the Grandview Rehabilitation Facility for their care of Sister Ruth Bell.

Foster-Toler-Curry Funeral Home is in charge of local arrangements.