Bell of the Ball

I love this woman.

Her name is Maudie Bell (Cammerer Roan). She is my grandma. 

She is a spunky lady. If you have a conversation with her you would not think she is 89.

I am named after my grandma Maudie.

My Grandma was born in 1926 in Woodward Oklahoma. A small town in the pan handle of the state. 

She was born on a farm with lots of property and a river that runs through it. 

She had 2 sisters and 2 brothers and they all grew up in this house. 

Her mom and dad are on the bottom (Ruby and Albert).

She and my grandpa met there. He was in the Air Force. 

First comes love, then comes Marriage. 

Together they began to travel the world with his different assignments. 

They had 3 rambunctious boys. 

My dad is the one on the left.

She always had MANY stories to tell. Sometimes there were pictures.

She was an adventurous woman. In this instance they were India, and she saw elephants and wanted to ride one. She was the first one out of the car. 

She LOVED to shop. Many of the things in her house have come from all over the world. 

I don't know if she ever saw anything she didn't like furniture and clothes alike. 

Through their time in the Military they also came in contact with the missionaries. 

Although, they were justing making sure their sons knew the commitment they were making

as they decided to be baptized. They continued to support and drive them to activities and church meetings (3 times each Sunday - it was BEFORE the block schedule).  

I don't know when their love for boy scouts started, but if you needed help with ANY merit badge, they would be able to help you out and supply you with the badge. 

The southern hospitality could never be taken from this woman. Thousands of miles from home she was still the greatest example to those around her. As a wife of a Major in the Air Force, she could hold her own. She did what was right, even if it wasn't socially acceptable. She cared for everyone she knew. She is the most generous person. 

She and my grandpa love each other so much.

(I think this was a birthday celebration)

After a few years later she and my grandpa decided to be baptized as well. They never looked back. They began to travel around the United States after my grandpa retired to find records of ancestors, take pictures of cemeteries, and help others find their ancestors as well. 

My grandma ALWAYS wanted to tell you how much she loved you. Sometimes it wasn't in the way one would normally expect, but everything she did was out of love.  Her many stories and lectures. Her desire to pass on a good name, to live a life her descendants could be proud of, with a name to be proud of. 

My Grandma would drive for hours if it meant she could support one of her family members in a event of any kind, baseball game, swim competition, whatever your passion. She would come. 

My Grandma came and took care of me after I was born. She would still remind me of it, especially if I was being a pill. She knew how to have fun, the good kind. If fun was borderline the bad side, she would give you a good southern warning, and you wouldn't try twice with her. 

My grandma was a strong woman on the inside. For years before my grandpa died and lived in a care facility, she would visit him multiple times a week. You could not keep her away from him. You couldn't stop her from bringing fresh fruit and some chocolates with her when she came. 

She is tenacious, and a little fire-cracker. She might have kept getting shorter, maybe I just kept growing. She is the cutest lady. Whenever she would walk, she would grab on your arm (her grip was TIGHT), she would waddle with you and tell you how to keep your arm stiff and if it relaxed, she would tap it a few times and make some joke about your muscles, and how she needed a strong arm. She could make any situation light. 

It was such a blessing having my grandma in Utah the last couple of years. It was a blessing to see her when I got home from my mission.

Another day she had an accident and my dad asked me to go with him. I am thankful I did. She was teasing my dad. Even though she was in pain, she was a tough cookie. This woman inspires me. I told her she had to stick around to meet my kids, and she said I needed to hurry up. I love her. 

I remember as we were leaving my grandma I gave her a hug and a kiss and another hug. I told her I loved her. She told me she was proud of me. 

Less than 48 hours after that, My mom told me she was with my grandpa again. 

I know she is with her family. She is in peace. She is saying hi to all her family she tracked down. 

I know she is laughing. She loved to laugh and she had a great laugh. 

Heaven is lucky to have this amazing lady. Happy one month anniversary to my Grandma and Grandpa.