Gertrude Bell, 92, of Waterloo died at Thornton Manor in Lansing, Iowa, on Tuesday, April 24, 2007, of natural causes.

She was born April 10, 1915, in Trenton, North Dakota, the daughter of Joseph and Margaret (Shepherd) Beston. Her father died during the flu epidemic of 1918 and she was raised by her mother and stepfather Archie E. Cameron.

She married Wendell I. Bell May 23, 1942 in Waterloo. He died August 16, 1972. She graduated from East High School in 1933.

Gertrude worked in the offices of Rath Packing Co. for many years; and later for Conestoga Council of Girl Scouts, Fred D. Adams and USF & G Insurance. She retired from the Black Hawk County Soil Conservation District in 1981.

She was quite the classy lady as well as being very artistic and enjoyed making afghans, and other crafts as well as playing cards, cribbage and dancing.

She was an Elder and a Deacon at Waterloo First Presbyterian Church and also active in the women’s organizations of the church. She was a lifetime member of Beta Sigma Phi International Sorority; served on the Family Living Committee of the Iowa State Extension Service Volunteer in several senior citizens’ activities, such as Senior Day Camp at Ingawanis, the Waterloo Recreation Center and demonstrated crafts at Cattle Congress in the Arts & Crafts building.

Gertrude is survived by daughter Suzanne Paterson of Decatur, Illinois and daughter Wendy Schutte and her husband Dale of Harpers Ferry, six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren: Jodi Paterson, Rachelle Caldwell and her husband Charles and their children Samuel and C.J.; Nicole Martin and her children Madison and Braden; Christopher Cooley and his wife Jeanne and their children Simon and Elise; Tim A. Pfalzgraf; and James Pfalzgraf and his wife Khristin and their children Alexis and Ella. She is also survived by brother Alvin Cameron and his wife Doris of Waterloo and sister Virginia Hutton of San Leandro, California.

Gertrude is preceded in death by two sisters Justine and Amelia in infancy and two brothers Russell Cameron and Archie Cameron.