Thelma Luceile (Tarbert) Bell (1937 - 2018)

Born 27 Oct 1937 in Libby, Lincoln, Montana, United States

Ancestors

Daughter of LeRoy Vernon Tarbert and Mabel Luceile (Spencer) Tarbert

Wife of Coleman Durham IV — married 27 Oct 1955 (to 3 Mar 1961) in Coeur d'Alene, Kootenai, Idaho, United States

Descendants

Died 19 Dec 2018 at age 81 in Rexburg, Madison, Idaho, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Chris Callais [send private message]

Autobiography

My birth occurred in Lincoln County, Montana about the time the Depression ended (Oct 27, 1937). I was born in the same house that my mother had been born in. Being born in the same house as my mother has always seemed special to me. It has been the only two decades spent by my family in the same locality.

I attended school the First thru Second grade there, the Third grade, I attended school at a small community outside Kettle Falls in Washington State. My father drove a logging truck for his brother, Lawrence, who owned a logging company. My brothers and I got to go with him sometimes. One time we had to get out of the truck while he was backing up over the banks of the Columbia River because the bank had started to cave in and he thought he would be going over the bank and into the river and he did not want us to go over with him.

As a child in school, shyness was the rule of the day, something that still afflicts me. The rest of my school years were spent back in Lincoln County, Montana where I graduated from high school. On the day I turned 18, I left home and got married.

Moving around seemed to be the order of the day. My first exposure to the Church came when I was 19, in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. After about five years I moved back to Lincoln County. My friend Jean Brower and I had many occasions to talk about life and what we believed. She and I would walk the three miles into town and go sit on the swings at the local schoolyard, and discuss such things as the three degrees of glory, as she called it. My concepts, of course were not the same as hers, as I was not a member, and I knew nothing of her religion—she kept trying to teach me, but I was stuck on a black and white concept—either you were good and going to Heaven, or you were bad and going to the other place. Because of her, I am a member of the church today.

Finally we listened to the Elders and were baptized in 1961, even though we had many questions and doubts, all unanswered. We moved to Whitefish, Montana that year and through visits from a Brother Pingree and visits from the Relief Society, we began activity in the Church and learned so much about the Gospel. We moved back to Lincoln County the day President Kennedy was assassinated, and actually heard the television announcement when we got to my mother-in-law’s. I remember how unbelievable it seemed. By this time we had four children. In 1966, our second son was born, in Bonners Ferry, and in 1967 we moved to Olympia, Washington, where we were active in the church and four more children were born. In 1975, at the age of eight plus years, our second son Michael died of Leukemia. We had never prepared, nor had the desire to go to the Temple before—now we prepared and went and were all sealed together in the temple in June of 1976.

In 1978, we moved to Sugar City, Idaho and there our 10th child, Joseph, was born in 1981. All the older children ran all over Sugar City telling everyone they had a new baby brother—people there still laugh about that!

I became a single mom with all the trials that go with it, after awhile, I got a job that was permanent (Mickelsen’s Hardware Store, Rexburg, Idaho) and was there for over 10 years. I prepared for a mission and was sent to the Australia Brisbane Mission, and after about eight months was transferred to Australia Sydney North Mission to work in the Area Support Office for Family History, where I remained for the rest of my mission. My entire Mission Experience was a great blessing, a time of great learning, also a time of being able to serve in wonderful ways I had never dreamed of. And it was also the most Spiritual.

-written by Thelma Bell circa 2010

Obituary

Thelma Luceile Bell passed away peacefully on Wednesday morning in Rexburg, surrounded by several of her children.

Thelma was born in October 27, 1937 in Libby, Montana to Luceile Spencer and LeRoy Tarbert. She was the big sister to four brothers. She grew up listening to her father play the fiddle and loved to sing. She could always be found singing or whistling tunes throughout the day.

Thelma spent her life serving and giving to others. Wherever there was a need, a sad or lonely person, or a service to rendered, Thelma could be found giving aid and assistance. She was always an example through her righteous actions and deeds.

Thelma spent over fifty years researching and seeking after her ancestors. Family was always important to her. She had ten children and was a blessing in all of their lives. She served in the Family History Center and helped others bind their family members together.

Thelma served a mission in Australia. She loved the people there and in New Zealand and would often tell of the way things were done in such a way one would have thought she was a true Aussie. She also served in the Rexburg, Idaho Temple. Thelma was always ready to give of her time, talents and earthly goods to all who came her way.

She is survived by her siblings Ernest (Helen) Tarbert, Libby, Montana, Donald (Vera) Tarbert, Ellensburg, Washington, Leonard (Kelly) Tarbert, Libby Montana, Kimber Tarbert, Libby, Montana, and her children Coleen Callais, Rexburg, Idaho, Lindy (Dave) Mehr, Rexburg, Idaho, Richard (Sherri) Bell, Rexburg, Idaho, Naomi Walter, Jacksonville, Florida, Cheryl Bell, Phoenix, Arizona, Sarah (Steve) Lewis, Rexburg, Idaho, Kari (Jake) Hanes, Graham, Washington, Aaron (Kim) Bell, Rexburg, Idaho, Joseph (Sasha) Bell, Rock Springs, Wyoming, 32 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren. Thelma is preceded in death by her parents and her son, Michael.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 26th at the Park Street Chapel, in Rexburg. The family will receive friends from 10:00 to 10:45 am. prior to services at the church. Interment will be in the Rexburg Cemetery. Condolences may be sent online to www.flammfh.com.

DNA

• Paternal and maternal relationships are confirmed by an AncestryDNA test match between Thelma Luceile Tarbert and her brother. Their most-recent common ancestors are their parents LeRoy Vernon Tarbert and Mabel Luceile Spencer. Predicted relationship from AncestryDNA: Full sibling, based on sharing 2585 cM across 46 segments; Confidence: Certain.

Sources

• Montana, U.S., Birth Records, 1897-1988

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=61591&h=537137&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=61471

• Selma Le Roy, "United States Census, 1940"

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VBQQ-BZT

• Thelma L Tarbert, "United States 1950 Census"

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6FQ9-PZLQ

• U.S., School Yearbooks, 1900-1999

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/433590668:1265

• Thelma Tarbert, "Idaho Marriage Index, 1947-1961"

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8HV-928

• Montana, Marriage Records, 1943-1986 for Thelma Lucille Tarbert

https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/61478/47792_554325-00032?indiv=try&h&db

• Idaho, Divorce Records, 1947-1967 for Thelma Luceile Durham

https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/8989/48366_b395739-00428_page_0001?indiv=try&h&db

• Thelma L. Tarbert, "Idaho Marriage Index, 1947-1961"

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8H6-PF9

• Thelma Lucille Tarbert Bell in household of James Richard Bell, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Church Census Records (Worldwide), 1914-1960"

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:DZ2K-KY6Z

• Thelma Luceile Tarbert Bell, "Find A Grave Index"

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7N1S-Q8MM