Joan Bell 1954-2015

Submitted by Willspoint1 on

Funeral services for Joan “Hen” Bell are scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Saturday, June 27, 2015, at First Assembly of God Church in Wills Point. Burial will follow at White Rose Cemetery under the direction of Hiett’s LyBrand Funeral Home in Wills Point.

Joan departed this life Friday, June 19, 2015, at her home in Canton.

Joan Marie Bell was born May 14, 1954, in Brenham, the third child of five, to George and Evelyn Harris Bell. She grew up and attended school in Brenham. Joan confessed her faith in Christ at an early age and became a member of New Hope Missionary Church in Brenham. She was a very active member in the choir and also loved singing quartet style with her sisters, known as the “Bell Sisters”.

From 1971 to 1982, Joan was married to Clark Gilbert Thomas and to this union was born two daughters. Joan started a new journey in her life by moving to Canton in 1984, to help start a new restaurant, “Dairy Place” where she was kitchen manager and head cook. She became known as “Hamburger Hen” by her fellow employees. In 1993, Joan started a new profession as a medication aide at Canton Healthcare. She was employed until 2010, when she retired due to health issues.

Joan rededicated her life to Christ in 1987, and became a member of Evangelist Temple C.O.G.I.C. in Canton. She served as a choir member and also as Prayer Warrior and President of the 50 plus choir in Bonner-Hill Memorial District.

Joan is preceded in death by her father, George Bell; mother, Evelyn Bell; sisters, Carol Chambers and Virginia Davis and ex-husband, Gilbert Thomas.

She is survived by daughters, Chelsly Shant’e Thomas of Canton and Terra Rae’Shon Thomas of Wills Point; grandchildren, Clark Chase Thomas, Bionca Marie Thomas and Javier Zarate, Jr. and wife, Jessica; great-grandchild, Serenity LaNa’e  Zarate; sisters, Georgia Boyce-Eggleston of Houston and Suzanne Wilson of Brenham; brother, Demondrick Bradford and wife, Shaniki of Houston; uncles, R.B. Harris of Sana Diego, Calif., and Norris Lockett and wife, Ella of Brenham; nieces, Faith Dorsey, Hope Wilson and Atoya Boyce; nephews, Bongee Boyce III, Efrems Bell, Jacquay Bell, Danny Davis and Jamal Wilson and a host of other relatives and friends.

A special thank you to Bevaughn Rogers, whom she loved dearly, and friend Craig “Skully” Rogers.