Funeral services for Annabel L. Bell, 101, of Storm Lake, will be 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, March 9, 2016, at the United Methodist Church in Storm Lake, with Pastor Matt Miller officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service time at the Church. Burial will follow the service at the Storm Lake Cemetery. The Redig Funeral Home in Aurelia is in charge of arrangements.

          Annabel Lee Ruggles was born on June 19, 1914 in Birmingham, IA, the daughter of Lee and Myrtle (Moore) Ruggles. Her father was the town pharmacist and owned the drugstore in Birmingham. Her family was colorful…her grandmother, Annie Hope, came to Iowa from Pennsylvania in a covered wagon. Her grandfather, Nathan Moore, was a Civil War veteran, fighting for the Union. Her grandfather, John Henry Ruggles, was an entertainer, a magician, and an auctioneer. Ann also had two sisters, Dorothy and Theodocia. There always seemed to be a lot of laughter when the three of them were together.

Following her graduation from high school she attended the Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls, IA, where she met Melvin Sidney Bell when they were both students and worked at the Hillside Café. They were married on May 24, 1938, at her parents’ home, and Melvin taught high school in Postville, IA, where Connie was born. When World War II arrived Melvin joined up and was stationed with the Navy in Europe for two years. After his return two more daughters, Muriel and Carolyn, were born.

          The family moved to Davenport, IA, in 1952, where Ann worked as a saleslady in J.P. Penney for many years. She later moved to Ames, IA, where she ran the office of the family motel business. She was a natural and professional sales person, and enjoyed meeting new people, although she was always shy by nature. Ann was able to travel after her retirement. She and Mel also took trips to Arizona, Hawaii, and even Alaska, where they went camping. They were both residents of the Methodist Manor in Storm Lake. Mel died September 5, 2000.

          Ann died Tuesday, March 7, 2016, at the Methodist Manor in Storm Lake.

          Left to cherish Ann’s memory are her three daughters; Connie and her husband John Duffy of Storm Lake, Muriel Nyblom of Bell Plaine, MN, and Carolyn Eggers of Denver, CO, six grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and other relatives and friends.