Dorothy Louise Bell

Dorothy Louise Whiteman Bell was born June 23, 1943, in Goodwater, Oklahoma. Her family later moved to Sunnyvale, Texas where she was a 1961 graduate of Forney High School. While living there she met Cecil Bell, the cowboy of her dreams. In the face of her Dad’s objection, but with her Mom’s consent, they were married, a love story that would last for 48 years. Blessed with three sons, the couple moved their young family around Texas until 1975 when they settled in Leon County, in the small town of Oakwood.

Dorothy raised her kids and was a homemaker until the early 1980s at which time she added managing the offices of the fledgling family businesses she helped to start. She loved collecting bells, bluebonnets, turquoise. She also loved the “Cecil & Dorothy” River Bell camp house, the Bell ranch, her family and anything Texas.

A devoted member of the Oakwood Church of Christ, she supported the local congregation and numerous ministries across the far reaches of the globe. She was patriotic and a strong believer in protecting our 2nd Amendment rights. She was seldom without her pistol. She served Leon County and the Oakwood community as it’s representative on the Brazos Valley Council of Governments. In the mid 90s, she was elected as a member of the Oakwood City Council. She went on to be elected Mayor, a position she held for 11 years before deciding not to place her name on the ballot. Amid her protests, the citizens of Oakwood elected her again- this time as a write-in candidate. She would continue to serve on the Council until her passing. She was honored this year by the City of Oakwood with the title of Lifetime Ambassador for the City and for the community of Oakwood.

On the evening of October 12th, Mom crossed that great chasm between here and Heaven and leapt into the waiting arms of her strapping East Texas cowboy and our dad, Cecil Bell. She was proceeded in death by her father Robert Lee Whiteman and mother Catherine Cordelia Taylor Whiteman and by her husband Cecil Bell. She is survived by her brother Delbert Whiteman and wife Carolyn of Terrell, by sons Cecil Jr and wife Jo Ann of Magnolia, Ernest of Magnolia and Justin and wife Alisha of Oakwood, by grandsons Logan, Eric, Roy, Cecil III, Charlie, and Brendon, by granddaughters Heather, Kristen and Claudia, by her 9 great-grandchildren and by a host of nieces, nephews and family.

In accordance with Dorothy’s wishes, the immediate family will assemble at 1:30PM on Tuesday, October 15th at the Buffalo Funeral Home for a brief visitation and will travel to the Oakwood Cemetery for a 4PM grave side service and internment.

Per Dorothy’s wishes, donations to the Oakwood Church of Christ are requested in lieu of flowers, mailing address is PO Box 322 Oakwood, Tx 75855.

Friends and family are invited to celebrate the life of Dorothy Bell on Saturday, October 19th. The celebration will be “come and go” between the hours of 12-6PM at the Bell Ranch, 609 PR 303, Oakwood, Tx 75855.