LANDER - Memorial services for Lander resident Muriel "Tommie" Wilcox Bell, 76, will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday at Lander Foursquare Church by Pastor Dave Holman.

Cremation has taken place under the direction of Hudson's Funeral Home.  Interment of cremains will be at a later date in Mount Hope Cemetery.

She died Nov. 19, 2001, at her home, from complications of dementia caused by a series of mini-strokes.

She was born Oct. 1, 1925, the daughter of Al and Evelyn Wilcox of Sheridan.  After graduating from Sheridan High School, she attended Oberlin College in Ohio and then graduated from the University of Wyoming in 1947, with a bachelor degree in physical education.

She met Thomas A  "Tom" Bell at UW and they married Oct. 15, 1947.  They celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary this year.  They were the parents of three sons, Alan, David and Jim; adopted son, Vic; and two adopted daughters, Rachel and Chris.  The family moved to Richland, Ore., in 1974 and returned to Lander in 1983.

A good athlete, she competed in several sports and especially enjoyed softball and bowling.  As she grew older, she liked swimming and bicycling.  As a hobby, she took up painting; and liked flower and vegetable gardening with her husband.

Since 1962, she had been devoted to Bible study and taught Sunday school.  She was a member of Women's Aglow and served as president of the Lander-Riverton chapter and attended several retreats in Oregon and Wyoming.  Shortly before her death, she regularly attended Lander Foursquare Church.

In 1951, she joined P.E.O. Sisterhood and was honored this year at state convention for her 50-year membership.

She was known as a kind, good, fun-loving and faithful mother and wife.

Survivors include her husband of Lander; four sons, Alan W. of Steilacoom, Wash., David A. of Vacaville, Calif., James R. of Casper and Victor A. of Lander; two daughters, Rachel Peden of Lander and Christine E. Bell of Dunn, N.C.; 20 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Eleanor Jorgenson and her husband of Hastings, Neb..

Memorials may be made to Lander Foursquare Church, Women's Aglow or P.E.O. Sisterhood, BB Chapter, in care of Hudson's Funeral Home.