Elise Bell

Elise Emma Stone Bell spent her eighty eight years reaching out to other people. She lived with her devoted husband for fifty plus years on East Broadway in Roslyn, New York; right next door to the Bryant Library overlooking Roslyn Park and nearby Silver Lake. She was at the center of her far-flung family, keeping in constant touch by telephone and letter with her many friends and extended family members. A professional writer, Elise also communicated with a wide audience by writing humorous articles based on real life situations which often included her children and grandchildren. Her articles had universal appeal and were published in “Newsday,” “The Staten Island Advance,” and “The New York Times.” She continued her creative writing right up to her death.

For many years Elise wrote scripts for Enrichment Records; recorded dramatizations of events in American history which were produced by her husband Bob. The two also collaborated on a children’s career book, Television and Teamwork, drawing from her husband’s experiences as a television director and producer.

Elise Bell was born on February 27th, 1918 in Detroit, Michigan, the eldest of four children. She was a very proud and loyal alumna of Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. At Swarthmore she met her future husband, Charles R. “Bob” Bell. They were married for sixty two-years until he died. Elise and her husband founded the Clocktower Party, a political organization still active in Roslyn politics. She was her husband’s campaign manager when he was elected Mayor of Roslyn in 1957, a position he held long enough to a.) reverse a plan to turn Roslyn’s Silver Lake into a parking lot… and b.) end a plan to run a superhighway through beautiful Roslyn Village! Elise read extensively and loved words. She frequented libraries wherever she could, and often read books in a single sitting. One of her favorite pastimes was to challenge other word-lovers to games of Scrabble!

Elise and Bob had many professional actors as friends, including Ray Heatherton, “The Merry Mailman,” Lon Clark, the famous 1940’s radio voice of “The Shadow,” and Folk singer Lorenz Graham. Their urbane friends often left New York City to spend weekends at the Bell’s welcoming home. But Elise and Bob weren’t always at home entertaining. They traveled extensively throughout their lives, and for some twenty years, spent summers in Norway visiting with their daughter Wendy and her children. They also had friends in the Far East, especially Thailand, in England, and across Europe, which helped Elise gain an international perspective, plus a lot of material for her articles!

Following Bob’s death in October 2003, Elise sold her Roslyn home and moved in with her son Robert in Stanton, New Jersey. She spent her winter months communing with nature on sunny Sanibel Island, Florida. Well into her eighties, Elise continued to avidly follow current events by newspaper and television. She had reasoned opinions on every topic imaginable!

Elise leaves behind one brother, Mead Stone of Millerton, New York; three children, Jean Bell of San Francisco, California, Wendy Bell of Moss, Norway, and Robert Bell of Stanton, New Jersey; nine grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Elise and Bob’s extraordinary lives will be celebrated on Saturday, October 21st 2006 at 11 AM with a tree planting ceremony on the Bryant Library’s East Broadway lawn, with reception to follow in the Bryant Room. Charitable donations can be made to the “Bell Memorial Tree Fund,” which will also benefit the library that Elise loved so well. Please contact the Bryant Library at 516-621-2240 for more information.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, 147 Main Street, Flemington, NJ.

Please www.holcombefisher.com for further information, or to send condolences.