Eula Bell

Wednesday, December 4, 2002

PORTAGEVILLE - Eula Bell, 64, formerly of St. Louis, died Nov. 28, 2002, at Pemiscot Memorial Hospital in Hayti.

Born Feb. 2, 1935, in Falcon, Miss., daughter of the late London and Alberta Cox Richardson Sykes, she moved to Portageville in 1972 and was a member of Zion Rock Missionary Baptist Church. She was a teacher for Head Start for three years and was a cook in various area restaurants for more than 20 years before retiring.

In 1987, she married Eddie Bell Sr. who preceded her in death in 1993.

Survivors include: 12 sons and seven daughters-in-law, John Sykes of Warren, Mich., James Sykes, Rainey and Deborah Sykes, Roosevelt Mosby Sykes and Antonio and Mary Sykes of Portageville, Eddie and Linda Bell Jr., David Bell and Andrew and Joyce Bell of Decatur, Ill., Arthur and Joann Bell of Evansville, Ind., George Bell of Farmington, Archie and Cidney Bell of Baltimore, Md., and James and Diane Bell Jr. of Norfolk, Va.; 13 daughters and four sons-in-law, Shadie Sykes, Sheila Mosby and Deborah Mosby of Portageville, Christine Pointer of Cleveland, Miss., Luvenia and Willie Jones and Renee Sykes of New Madrid, Lula and Willie Rhines of Kankakee, Ill., Cherrie and Larry Woods of Memphis, Tenn., Edna and Larry Pride of Sikeston, Luesendy Holmes of Parma and Ethel Pace, Ethel Cooper and Gloria Mosby of Orlando, Fla.; 11 sisters, Earline Richardson and Beatrice Ashley of Richmond, Calif., Alberta Latiker of Minnesota, Ruthie Mae Washington and Josephine Henry of Chicago, Ill., Bobbie Jean Sykes of Detroit, Mich., Nancy Cooper of Mount Bayou, Miss., Sellestine Ratiff of Houston, Texas, Betty Rodriguez of Mesquite, Mich., and Theresa McClendon and Angelia Thomas of St. Louis; eight brothers, Judge Henry and the Rev. Robert Sykes of Detroit, Willie Henry of Minnesota, James Sykes of St. Louis, Eugene Henry of Mount Bayou, Albert Cox of Renola, Miss., London Edward Sykes of Coral Heights, Va., and Ed Sykes of Mississippi; and 92 grandchildren and 112 great-grandchildren.

She was also preceded in death by one son, Willie Dean; three brothers, Ernest Sykes, John Henry and London Lee Sykes; one sister, Mary Lee Hooper; and two grandsons.

Visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at DeLisle Funeral Home.

Services are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the First Baptist Church in Portageville with the Rev. Robert Anderson officiating.

Burial will follow in the Portageville Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be: George Buchanan, Richard Wigfall, Anthony Byrd, Robert Jennings, Charles Partee and Richard Morgan.

Honorary pallbearers will be: Randall Mosby, Willie Pointer Jr., Quinton Sykes, Micheal Sykes, Brandon Mosby and Jermaine Hardimon.