F a m i l y W e b P a g e
f o r
Don Carol Bell
F a m i l y
Don Carol Bell, a son, was the fourth child of Sanders and Rubye Bell. At the time of his birth, Sanders was 33 years old, and Rubye was 31 years old. The day was Wednesday, March 19, 1947, early evening. Sanders had been working all day at the office and had arrived home. It is thought that Rubye began to have labor pains around 6:30 or 7:00 p.m. By 7:30 they were headed to the hospital in Greenwood, an hour's drive over the two-lane roads of the time. They arrived at the Leflore County Hospital in Greenwood and Rubye was admitted about 8:30 p.m. She was in labor there for 4 hours and 20 minutes before her son was born at 12:50 a.m. Information for this birth was received in the State Registrar's Office in Jackson on March 25, 1947. State number on birth certificate is 14348. Registrar's number on birth certificate is 45.2.
The following are memories of the early life of Don Bell.
Grade School and University Years
Following graduation from Mississippi State University in July 1969, moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to begin work as a horticultural therapist at Partlow State School and Hospital, a residence facility and school for the mentally handicapped.
Worked at Partlow State School from August 1969 through January 1971.
Don and Linda Mae Sellers were married by Reverend Thomas Hosmer at Little Hurricane Baptist Church in the Howton Community, Alabama at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, January 31, 1971. A reception following the wedding was held at the Sellers home just down the highway at the Fleetwood Community.
In July 1971, Don began working for Mr. James Benton at Benton's Nursery on the Eutaw Highway on the west side of Tuscaloosa. He worked here for 2 years. About August 1973, he went to work for Rosemont Gardens Wholesale Florist in downtown Tuscaloosa, where he worked for the next 3 1/2 years, through December 1976.
In September 1976, Don began taking classes at the Graduate School of Library Services at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. From January 1977 through the summer of that year, he attended college as a full-time student. By August 1977, he began working evening hours, 5 to 9, as a library assistant in the Brewer State Junior College Library on Skyland Blvd. He continued working part-time at the library for the next four years. He took graduate courses as well and completed his degree and graduated in May 1980. He was hired by the junior college (now changing its name to Shelton State Junior College) as a full-time librarian in September 1981.
As of January 2002, Don Bell has been the full-time Night Reference Librarian at Shelton State Community College for 21 years. Prior to becoming full-time, he worked four years on a part-time basis as night library assistant. During the 1980s and early 1990s, Don served as reference librarian and taught library skills classes at the college. After Mr. Glen Johnson was hired in the 1990s and library skills classes became elective, library classes were held during the day and Mr. Johnson taught them. Don Bell then developed online lessons and course materials for semester-long courses for both Library Science 101 and Library Science 102. Presently, he revises and maintains the online library course materials, and receives suggestions and advice from the instructor, Mr. Johnson.
Don and Linda Bell have two children:
Jonathan Michael Bell, born October 31, 1977 at 11:03 p.m. at DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Sydney Catherine Bell, born December 10, 1983 at 3:24 a.m. at DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Early Years, 1953-1969