Services for Mary Merlene Bell 92 will be at 2:00PM on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at the 1st Presbyterian Church of Belton, with Rebecca Fox Nuelle officiating. A visitation will be from 6pm-8pm on April 29, 2013 at the Broecker Funeral Home, Salado.

Merlene died April 25, 2013 at her home in Arlington, TX surrounded by her family and several dedicated employees of Heart to Heart Hospice. She was born September 16, 1920 in Picayune, Mississippi to Joseph and Sarah Cuccio. The family moved to New Orleans when she was 6 where she grew up, attending McDonalds High School. At 18 she started working at Morrison’s Cafeteria as a cashier and then worked along with a sister for a company building cannon shells for the war effort. Merlene met the love of her life Howard Bell, a 1st LT. of the Army Air Corps on a blind date in New Orleans. They fell in love at first sight. Howard asked Merlene to waited for him and marry him after his tour of duty in the CBI theater in Burma. After a 30 month wait they married on February 28 1945 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Merlene was a housewife. She loved here family and supported her 2 daughters through the Girl Scouts and school activities. She lived in Dallas, Houston and New Orleans before retiring to Salado in 1985.

She was a volunteer at Scott and White Hospital, Member of the Eastern Star, Salado Historical Society, and the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Merlene loved taking care of her family. She enjoyed stamp and rare coin collecting. She had a passion for genealogy. She researched documents, cemeteries and certifications of census, birth, death and marriage of her and Howard’s family dating back to the 1700’s. She also loved traveling with Howard to many different places.

After declining health she and Howard moved to Garden Estates Senior Living in Temple, later moving to Arlington to be close to her youngest daughter, Chyrell.

She is preceded by her mother, father, sisters, Earlene, Josephine, Anna and Anita and brother Michael.

She is survived by her husband, brothers Joseph Cuccio, Jr. and John Cuccio her 2 daughters, Chyrell Bell and husband Steven Ross and Carol Leatherwood and husband Bobby. Merlene has 4 grandchildren, Michele Yee, husband Stephen, Caryn Carlson, Howard Lee Leatherwood, Sarah Ziatis and husband Stefan and 10 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the 1st Presbyterian Church in Belton.

1st Presbyterian Church is located at 2500 N. Church St., Belton. (Main St. North from 6th street. Left on Greenbrier to Church St. and look for the church. Just south of WalMart)