Martha S. Potts-Bell, 55, of Mt. Pleasant, died Friday, December 20, 2013 at her residence.
A memorial funeral service for Martha will be held at 1:30 PM on Monday, December 23 at the First United Methodist Church, 309 North Main Street, Mount Pleasant. The Reverends Deborah J. Stowers and David Bracht-Wagner will officiate. The family will receive friends at a reception in the church’s Fellowship Hall following the memorial service. Friends may call to sign the guest book from 12 Noon to 6:00 PM on Sunday at the Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 North Main Street, Mount Pleasant.
In lieu of flowers, those considering an expression of sympathy may direct memorials to the First United Methodist Church or Iowa Wesleyan College. Online condolences may be directed towww.kimzeyfuneralhome.com.
Mrs. Potts-Bell, the former Martha Susan Potts, was born March 8, 1958 in Geneva, Illinois. She was the daughter of George Calvin and Edith (nee Hookham) Potts. On April 17, 1984 in Tucson, AZ, Martha was united in marriage to Richard James “Dick” Bell.
Martha graduated from Glenbard High School in Glen Ellyn, IL in 1976. She then attended Drake University in Des Moines where she was conferred with a B.A. degree in Journalism. She later went on to receive her M.A. degree in Journalism from the University of Iowa.
Martha began her working career with the Rouse Company, which owned and operated shopping malls across the USA. Martha was the Director of Marketing for the Muscatine Mall in Muscatine. She worked briefly as the Marketing Director for Adventureland in Altoona. Following her marriage and move to Mt. Pleasant, Martha became the Director of Marketing and Communication for Iowa Wesleyan College. She began her position full time and reduced to part-time to raise her family. She then returned to full time status until her health caused her to retire in July of this year.
Mrs. Potts-Bell was a member of First United Methodist Church. She served as a confirmation mentor and taught First Grade for the Sunday School. She was a member of P.E.O. Chapter Original A of Mt. Pleasant. In her spare time, Martha enjoyed photography, writing, sewing and scrapbooking.
Those thankful for sharing in Martha’s life include her husband Dick of Mt. Pleasant; 3 children – Jennifer “Jeni” Bell of Ft. Worth, TX, Samuel “Sam” Bell stationed with the US Marines at Camp Pendleton CA and Jackson “Jack” Bell at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO; her mother, Edith Potts of Phoenix, AZ; 3 sisters – Betsy Ajeman and her husband Cary of Wilcox, AZ, Barbara Baker and her husband Donald of Lombard, IL and Nancy Potts of Phoenix; a brother, Richard Potts and his wife Lynn of Phoenix, and several nieces and nephews.
Her father, a sister, Virginia “Ginny” Thiersch and a brother, Jim Potts, precede Martha in death.
Terri Goodwin (McDonnell)
Martha S. Potts-Bell, 55, of Mt. Pleasant, died Friday, December 20, 2013 at her residence.
A memorial funeral service for Martha will be held at 1:30 PM on Monday, December 23 at the First United Methodist Church, 309 North Main Street, Mount Pleasant. The Reverends Deborah J. Stowers and David Bracht-Wagner will officiate. The family will receive friends at a reception in the church’s Fellowship Hall following the memorial service. Friends may call to sign the guest book from 12 Noon to 6:00 PM on Sunday at the Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 North Main Street, Mount Pleasant.
In lieu of flowers, those considering an expression of sympathy may direct memorials to the First United Methodist Church or Iowa Wesleyan College. Online condolences may be directed towww.kimzeyfuneralhome.com.
Mrs. Potts-Bell, the former Martha Susan Potts, was born March 8, 1958 in Geneva, Illinois. She was the daughter of George Calvin and Edith (nee Hookham) Potts. On April 17, 1984 in Tucson, AZ, Martha was united in marriage to Richard James “Dick” Bell.
Martha graduated from Glenbard High School in Glen Ellyn, IL in 1976. She then attended Drake University in Des Moines where she was conferred with a B.A. degree in Journalism. She later went on to receive her M.A. degree in Journalism from the University of Iowa.
Martha began her working career with the Rouse Company, which owned and operated shopping malls across the USA. Martha was the Director of Marketing for the Muscatine Mall in Muscatine. She worked briefly as the Marketing Director for Adventureland in Altoona. Following her marriage and move to Mt. Pleasant, Martha became the Director of Marketing and Communication for Iowa Wesleyan College. She began her position full time and reduced to part-time to raise her family. She then returned to full time status until her health caused her to retire in July of this year.
Mrs. Potts-Bell was a member of First United Methodist Church. She served as a confirmation mentor and taught First Grade for the Sunday School. She was a member of P.E.O. Chapter Original A of Mt. Pleasant. In her spare time, Martha enjoyed photography, writing, sewing and scrapbooking.
Those thankful for sharing in Martha’s life include her husband Dick of Mt. Pleasant; 3 children – Jennifer “Jeni” Bell of Ft. Worth, TX, Samuel “Sam” Bell stationed with the US Marines at Camp Pendleton CA and Jackson “Jack” Bell at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO; her mother, Edith Potts of Phoenix, AZ; 3 sisters – Betsy Ajeman and her husband Cary of Wilcox, AZ, Barbara Baker and her husband Donald of Lombard, IL and Nancy Potts of Phoenix; a brother, Richard Potts and his wife Lynn of Phoenix, and several nieces and nephews.
Her father, a sister, Virginia “Ginny” Thiersch and a brother, Jim Potts, precede Martha in death.