You might not have ever seen her at the Grand Canyon or in Paris, France, but if you ever ran into Missy Bell at 469 Crescent Road in Mansfield, Ohio, you found her in her favorite place.
An avowed homebody who enjoyed her home in the Woodland neighborhood for more than 50 years, Missy passed away peacefully at the age of 80 on Monday,
September 7, 2026, due to complications from Alzheimer’s.
Born in Mansfield on April 10, 1946, to Helen and Deming Lowrey, Missy was raised in Mansfield and grew up loving horses, including her very own horse, Dazzling Holiday. She was part of the first graduating class at Malabar High School in 1964. Missy finished one year at Arizona State University before completing her degree in education closer to home at then-Ashland College, where she was a member of the Alpha Phi sorority.
After graduation, Missy taught at Lucas High School. She met Jon Bell at a New Year’s party in 1967. They married on August 3, 1968, and were together until Jon’s passing in 2020. In the early 1970s, they started a family, having a daughter, Melinda, in 1972 and a son, Jon, in 1973.
Missy was a stay-at-home mom for several years before becoming a librarian at the downtown Mansfield/Richland County Public Library. In the mid-1980s, she began working as the librarian at Woodland Elementary School, which she did until retiring in 2007.
Missy loved bunny rabbits, reading and the sun, and she could be found most summer days lounging poolside at the Woodland Club, where she would pass time with friends and family while getting in a few laps each rest period. She had a close, lifelong bond with her younger sister, Debby. The two were best of friends and would spend time together walking, shopping, celebrating holidays, laughing and simply enjoying each other’s company. A loyal fan of the Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Indians/Guardians, Missy also enjoyed gardening. She loved the return of her daffodils every spring, was active for years with the Garden Club of Ohio in Mansfield and she volunteered regularly with friends to maintain the island garden at Woodhill Road and Marion Avenue.
Missy was preceded in death by her mother, Helen Lowrey, father, Deming Lowrey, sister, Linda Lowrey, husband, Jon Bell, and her grandson Mitch (Douglas) Miller.
She is survived by her daughter, Melinda Bell Allenbaugh (Jamie), her son, Jon Bell, her sister, Debby Miller (Eric), and her brother, Tim Lowrey (Sharon), as well as three grandchildren – Jacob Miller and Madeline and Spencer Bell – and one great-grandchild, Lucy Miller.
She will be missed dearly.
A celebration of Missy’s life will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, in Blymyer Hall at the First Congregational Church in Mansfield at 640 Millsboro Rd.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be sent to the North Central Ohio Land Conservancy. The Lexington Avenue Snyder Funeral Homes is honored to serve the Bell family.
Funeral Home: Snyder Funeral Home Lexington Avenue Chapel
Website: www.snyderfuneralhomes.com