Obituary of Betty Ruth Schell

Mrs. Betty Ruth Schell, wife of the late Lester Franklin Schell, died November 19, 2018 at the SECU Jim & Betsy Bryan Hospice Home in Pittsboro.

Betty was born on May 3, 1926 in Reading, PA, and grew up in Laureldale, PA.  On December 25, 1946, she married her husband, who preceded her in death in 2004.  She lived in Exeter Township, PA, before relocating to North Carolina in 1996 to be closer to her grandchildren.  She studied Merchandise Management at Pomeroy’s School of Merchandising and worked in management for 20 years, being last employed by Lerner Shops in Berkshire Mall in Reading, PA.

Betty was a member and deacon of Grace United Church of Christ in Reading, PA, and Bethany United Methodist Church in Durham, NC where she served as past president of Bethany United Methodist Women and was a member of the Cornelius Sunday School class.  She belonged to several quilting clubs and regularly attended card club gatherings at the Seymour Senior Center in Chapel Hill, NC.  She was an avid reader and routinely read multiple books in a week's time.

She is survived by her daughter, Susanne, and her husband Mike, of Bellevue, WA; son, Robert, and his wife, Kim, of Chapel Hill, NC; grandsons, Michael of Chapel Hill and Tyler, of Arlington, VA; and her great grandson, Kayden, of Wilmington, NC.

In addition to her husband, Betty was preceded in death by her son Dennis in 1969; her brother, Marvin, and her sister, Arlene.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 8, 2018 at 10:00am at Bethany United Methodist Church.  Officiating will be Rev. Julia Webb-Bowden.  The family will greet friends immediately following the service in the Fellowship Center.  A burial service will be held at a later date in Charles Evans Cemetery, Reading, PA.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Cornelius Sunday School class, c/o Bethany United Methodist Church, 2803 Guess Road, Durham, NC 27705.

The Schell family is under the care of Walker's Funeral Home of Chapel Hill.