Cora Louise Bell

Mrs. Cora Bell, Pioneer Resident, Dies Wednesday

Mrs. Cora Bell, 72, pioneer resident, and widow of the late Tom Bell, passed away at the Lusk Hospital Wednesday afternoon, October 9, at about 3:00 o'clock p.m., having entered the hospital a few weeks previously after having suffered a severe heart attack.

Mrs. Bell is a pioneer resident of this community and a sister of Fred and Arthur Root of Lusk. Her daughter, Mrs. Irene Franchini of Tranquility, California, and her son, Lionel Bell and wife of St. Cloud, Florida, have been in Lusk for some time so they could be near their mother, whom they knew to be critically ill.

Funeral arrangements have not been made as The Herald goes to press this (Wednesday) evening, but a complete obituary will be published next week.

The Lusk Herald

Last Rites Held for Mrs. Bell

The last rites for Mrs. Cora R. Bell, who has been a resident of this community for nearly sixty years were held from the Peet Chapel on Friday afternoon, at 2:30 o'clock.

The Rev. Ezra Duncan, pastor of the Baptist Church of Lusk, officiated at the service, and Miss Anita Vargason and Miss Phyllis Johns sang "Old Rugged Cross," "In the Garden" and "The Way Leads Home," with Mrs. J. P. Watson as accompanist.

The casket bearers were Ed Schroefel, Charles E. Scace, Henry Petz, Thomas O. Miller, Roy ZumBrunnen and Albert Olinger.

Interment was made in the Lusk Cemetery.

Cora Louise Root Bell was born in Brattleboro, Vermont, April 5, 1874. With her parents, brother Fred and younger sister, Lena, the family moved to Iowa in 1878, and here another brother, Arthur, was born.

The family moved to Nebraska in 1885, where they lived for a couple of years, then in 1887 they came to Wyoming, making the trip in a covered wagon, and settled on land north of Lusk, which is now known as the McConaughey ranch.

December, 1891, Cora Root was married to Thomas Bell, and five children were born to them - Lionel, Thomas, Floyd, Maxwell and Irene. Soon after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Bell located some ten miles northeast of Lusk on what was known as the Node ranch, but moved into Lusk when the children became of school age.

Three of the sons met tragic death. Thomas was killed at the age of 9 years by being thrown from a Shetland pony; Maxwell was killed in a car accident on the highway between Harrison and Van Tassell, and Floyd died from the effects of a tarantula bite while in Florida.

Mr. Bell died in Florida in 1940.

Mrs. Bell has made Lusk her home since coming here as a child with the exception of several winters which she spent in Florida or California. She spent this summer in Lusk and had visited relatives in Casper and Douglas shortly before she suffered a heart attack here about a month ago at the home of her brother, Fred Root.

Death came to her at the Lusk Hospital Wednesday afternoon, October 9, 1946, at about three o'clock.

Her son, Lionel Bell, and wife of St. Cloud, Florida, and her daughter, Mrs. Irene Franchini of Tranquility, Calif., had been in Lusk about two weeks prior to her death. Other survivors are her two brothers, Fred and Arthur Root of Lusk.

Out-of-town friends and relatives here for the funeral services were Mr. and Mrs. Fred K. Root of Shoshoni, Mr. and Mrs. H. Stark of Powell, Mr. and Mrs. Vern McNare of Douglas, Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Spracklen of Casper, Mrs. Elmer Hardy and daughter Ruth of Douglas and Mr. and Mrs. E. Stone of Inglewood, Calif.

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The Lusk Herald, December 8, 1892

Yesterday at the residence of of the bride's parents, Mr. Thomas Bell
and Miss Cora Root were married, Rev. N.E. Gardner tying the nuptial
knot. Both bride and groom are well-known to every resident here, having
lived here for a number of years. After the ceremonies
had been performed, a reception was given and the many friends of the
bride and groom sat down to a table that was well loaded with the
delicacies of the season and ate to their heart's content. While The
Herald could not be present, it acknowledges the receipt of a kind
invitation to be there, and we extend our hearty congratulations to the
married couple.

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