Mooreland Cemetery

Mooreland, Woodward County, Oklahoma

© Billings Funeral Home
Submitted by: Terry Dudley

Kay Joyce Bell

November 28, 1935 ~ May 15, 2025

Longtime Woodward librarian, Kay Joyce Bell, passed on into the arms of her Heavenly Father on May 15, 2025.

Kay was born at her grandmother Elsie's home in Laverne on November 27, 1935, the first child of Raymond and Gladyce (Williams) Bell. She often spoke of the joy she had spending summers with Elsie. During school in Woodward she played basketball at Kids Inc, sang in the school choir and tried to learn the piano as most proper girls did then. As a teen she was often seen on Main Street in her 1954 Chevrolet, with her younger sisters, Judy and Gerry, and a couple of friends in tow.

Kay's family moved to Liberal, KS after she graduated in 1954. Kay landed a job at the Woodward Public Library around this time. She wanted to stay in Woodward so her parents came up with a plan for her to purchase the home they lived in. So at 19, she was a homeowner, living in the house on N 6th until 2023 when she needed assistance in her day to day living.

Kay landed a job at the Woodward Public Library after graduation, with no degree or experience and retired in 2000 after 46 years of service as Library Director. She was proud of all the librarians and readers she mentored, especially the librarians and book lovers in her own family. Kay was a Christian and life long member of First Baptist Woodward. She served in the nursery from the age of 16, loving on those babies and their babies for over 60 years.

Kay never married but had many children who looked up to her at the library and several generations at church. She also nurtured her 6 nieces and nephews as if they were her own.

Kay was most of all a survivor. Some could say she survived a rough childhood in the Depression days of Oklahoma, 1947 Woodward Tornado survivor, a cancer survivor of over 32 years and heart attack survivor of 20 years. Being legally blind and hearing impaired never stopped her until the end.

She spent her life as a successful single female well before it was in vogue. She cared for her mother throughout her adult life until Gladyce passed in 1998.

Kay is joined with the Lord by her parents, sister, Judy Bell Pickle, nephew, Jim Postel, nieces Bridget Hoskins, Megan Postel and Devann Cottingham.

Left to rejoice her entry to Heaven are her surviving siblings John Bell (Myrna), Gerry Hand (Jim), nieces and nephews Paula Trahan (Kenneth), Roger Bell (Amy), Michelle Cottingham, James Hand (Elena) and many great nieces and nephews and a host of dear friends who loved her throughout her 89 years.

Graveside services will be held at 2:00 pm in the Mooreland Cemetery, Monday, May 19 2025. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Woodward Friends of the Library or First Baptist Church Woodward via Billings Funeral Home in her memory.

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