June 22, 1915 to November 8, 2002

Anita Josephine Mundt Bell, 87, died Friday, November 8, 2002, in Ruston, Louisiana.

Born second to the oldest brother, George, in a family of seven children, she was born June 22, 1915, on her parents' -- George Emil (Ed) and Alma Margaret Nielsen Mundt's -- family farm.

Ed and Alma's farm sat proudly on a hilltop outside Springfield, Nebraska, where they raised Belgian horses, sheep, hogs, corn, some cattle, and enough black walnut trees to justify space in the granary to dry the walnuts.

Teams of massive Jack Mules, and Belgians, plowed many a furrow, and sometimes treated the children a ride to school.

Ed's Belgium's were prized critters, and the farm, a true showcase.

When the Mundt farm was sold in 1939, cars and hitches shared parking on the country road for as far as the eye could see.

Anita and her three brothers and three sisters worked, fought, and loved abundantly. It was a hard, tough life, where the Mundt children began the pattern of standing up for one another throughout their adult lives.

After Ed and Alma moved to Papillion, Nebraska, family gatherings for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, were loud, rowdy traditions brought quiet, when all settled around the table for prayer.

After dinner, the cousins would disappear to the attic, where they'd giggle over the cousin who imitated Elvis, and dream up stories about the "mysterious" violin and Grandma's "costumes."

The Aunts would "clean up" the kitchen, and the Uncles would simultaneously bash and defend unions.

At one such gathering in the late 60's, Anita's grandson Philip, tugged on her sleeve and whispered, "Grandma, I'm scared. Everybody's mad at each other." To which Grandma replied, "They're not angry Philip. They love each other so much, they shout about it!"

The Springfield Park wasn't far from the farm, and on a right summer breeze, they could often "hear" the entertainment.

The wondrous voice of a talented young farmer, would bring the girls down the corn row, where they'd sit at the field's edge and listen.

A tall, comely young lady, Anita must have twinkled brightly at the young singer, Ronald Edwin Bell, for on June 22, 1937, they became man and wife.

Ronald (Ronnie) and Anita (Nita) started their marriage near Papillion, moving south of there, in 1945, to the farm Ronald's grandfather had homesteaded in the 1800s.

Ronnie began building terraces, and a Holstein dairy herd, while Nita raised an acre of vegetables, their three boys -- Gregory Ronald, Stuart Earl, and Lawrence Eugene -- and daughter Ronita Marlene.

It seemed at times, that Ronnie sang at every funeral, wedding and church service in Sarpy County.

It was no easy task, when there were cows to be milked, corn to pick, and hay to put up.

By the time Ronnie died at the age of 87, it was figured he'd shared his beautiful gift of singing stories, for over 70 years.

A vision in stark contrast, was the diary farmer in clown costume and greasepaint, singing "Pagliacci" from Puccini's opera.

Trips up to Omaha to trade eggs for flour, and pick up chicks for the brooder, were major events. Flour was about the only thing Nita didn't "put up."

Cabbage, potatoes, carrots, beans, strawberries, peas, tomatoes, sweet corn and every other thing Anita could grow and pick, was pickled, jellied, and canned -- then lugged to the cellar for winter meals.

While "up town," Nita saved money and got exercise by parking at "drunk park" and walking, baby in tow, a couple miles to buy fabric and endure the dentist's drilling, followed by a real treat of "boughten" coffee at Woolworth's.

Anything "boughten" was a big deal.

Ronita remembers being embarrassed having "homemade bread"in her lunch pail, and shyly sought out "boughten bread sandwiches," in hopes of "a swap." Her Mom baked at least four loaves of bread weekly. The awaking to the glories of "homemade" came when Ronita found that a "rolled up boughten bread dissolved into a ball of nothing that bounced. The homemade bread would not give to roll, dissolve or bounce."

To this day, Ronita uses that accidental test to find out who and what is solid, versus nothingness.

Anita wore a dress and apron, regardless her work on the farm. The apron was handy for toting everything from eggs to cherries, or wiping a kid's runny nose.

She was member, leader, and quite the Parliamentarian, of many clubs including: Women's Club, Eastern Star, 4-H, and the Methodist Church in Papillion for over 40 years. This level of involvement continued in Ruston for another 30 years.

She loved gardening, and gained a respected reputation as an amateur horticulturist. These words in a 1974 letter confirm: "I was looking at old pictures of 1009 S. Madison the other night - from 1961 to 1974. Boy - stark nudity to pretty stuff in front, back & sides. Sometimes I really miss my flowers. Sooooo -- get out the shovel and fertilizer, kid!"

When the digging began, she later wrote, " ... learned to put on gloves when I work in the soil. Keep running into baby snakes. Let one get pickled by putting him in a bottle of alcohol."

Yes, she had a winking sense of humor, and loved to laugh! Versatile, talented Anita, sewed tailored suits, formals and dance costumes, judged flower shows, taught Bible classes, played tennis, swam, could bake anything, dipped in oil painting, and became an accomplished photographer. Athletic and adventuresome, she was a constant student of mostly everything life offered.

Instead of using "right and wrong," as a way to correct her children, she'd explain the difference between `necessary and not necessary,' teaching along the way: "It is not necessary to be stinky." "It's necessary to be thoughtful of others." "It's necessary to enunciate." "It's unnecessary to hang out with negative people." "It is necessary to be a Lady (or gentleman)."

She insisted her children, "never waste time;" "pitch in without being asked;" "finish what you start;" "clean up your own mess;" and "don't ask God for things, ask him for direction;" "not stick your nose in others private business, and don't air yours;" "your actions are like a boomerang. They always come back to you. If you behave ugly, you'll either be surrounded by people who disgust you, or no one at all!" "Don't lecture. People do not like to be lectured." "Rip it out, and do it over, until you get it right." And the best one, "THINK before you act!" She always wanted her Children to THINK!

One lesson Ronita will never forget, happened when she got into a fight with another girl, ripping all the buttons off her coat. Her Mom listened carefully, murmuring "um um. Yes." Then her Mom instructed, "go over to Karen's (A 2-mile walk, one way!) get her coat, sew those buttons on, and take it back to her."

Although wrought with cancer, leukemia, surgeries and treatment, she endured through her own pain while continuing to care for Ronald as he slowly disappeared with Alzheimers.

Anita is survived by her three sons: Gregory of Saratoga, California; Stuart of Kokomo, Mississippi; Lawrence of Denver, Colorado; and daughter Ronita Bell Sylvester of LaSalle, Colorado; three sisters, Ruby Schobert of Papillion, NE; Ida Klockner of Fairbury, NE; Emily Bowling of Papillion, NE; brother, Arthur Mundt of Lincoln, NE; three granddaughters, seven grandsons and nine great grandchildren.

Husband Ronald, Brothers George and Herbert Mundt, and Grandson Stanley Bell, preceded her in death.

Anita Josephine Mundt Bell, sacrificed and exhausted herself, teaching and towing her children to Scouts, FFA, dance, modeling, piano lessons, Sunday School, and college.

She had a way of keeping flowers and people in blossom. Her unique aura as an extraordinary Mom, "O wise one" Grandma, loved Sister, special Aunt, and cherished friend, can be carried on with every kind word we give, every loving thought we think, and every kind deed we offer. If we don't, sure as her heavenly garden, she'll smile at us and urge, "it's necessary for your heart to hold only good. So rip out the bad, and do it over until you get it right."

She was a true, evergreen "Lady."

Thank you,

Roni Bell Sylvester, P.O. Box 155, LaSalle, Colorado 80645 970-284-6874 wpduck@msn.com