Maureen Bell

Maureen Bell, 73, of Middlesbrough, England, passed away on Friday, January 31, 2020, at the James Cook Hospital in  Middlesbrough after a long illness.

 

She was born May 4, 1946, in Thornaby, England, to the late William “Harry” and Ada (Robinson) Reed.  Maureen enjoyed going to shows and loved reading until she lost her sight.  At that point, she began listening to audiobooks.  She enjoyed meeting celebrities and obtaining their autographs, of which she amassed many over the years.

 

All of her life she was passionate about music and was an avid fan of the Beatles and Jess Conrad, a lesser-known star from the ’60s.  She taught herself to play multiple instruments, loved to sing, and even performed publicly once or twice.  She loved watching Coronation Street, probably the most popular soap in the UK.  She was the head shooter on the net-ball team in school and enjoyed knitting and ice skating but, most of all, she loved the time she spent with her family.

 

Maureen married the love of her life, Arthur Bell, on September 6, 1967, and enjoyed 52 years of marriage.  During the early years of their marriage, they ran a mobile fish and chip shop in Middlesbrough for a couple of years.

 

Maureen is survived by her husband, Arthur, of Middlesbrough;  a son, Alan (Roxie) Bell, of Mount Vernon; a daughter, Julie Bell, of Middlesbrough; three grandchildren, Nici (Justin) Aikman, Tori Phillips, and Russell Phillips; as well as four great-grandsons.

 

She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Ronald Reed all of Thornaby, England.

 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Foundation for the Blind in her name.