Barbara was born to Lillian Huddle Groseclose and Charles Groseclose, MD in Roanoke Virginia. She was married to Lawrence Douglas Bell, Sr. and was the beloved mother of four children. She was blessed with five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Barbara graduated from James Madison University in 1951 and continued with graduate studies at the University of Missouri, Kansas City.  She was a teacher, virology researcher at Wellcome Animal Health and a chemist at Hoechst Marion Roussel in Kansas City.

Barbara was active in retirement, celebrating her passion for music by singing in choirs and chorales and playing piano. She volunteered generously as a member of the Women's Committee of the Conservatory of Music at UMKC, League of Women Voters, at area nursing homes, Johnson County Community College, Johnson County Library and Shawnee Mission Schools.  Barbara was a member of Valley View UMC where she sang in the choir and assisted in the business office.  She was an artist and continued sketching and painting while living at Brighton Gardens of Prairie Village and was honored to be recognized an Artist in Residence. Her last work was a portrait of a nurse at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission. 

Barbara was preceded in death by L. Doug Bell, Sr., Lawrence D.Bell, Jr. and Scott Thomas Bell.  She is survived by her dear sister, Jo

Rudy and her children; Keith Bell and Bobbe Bell Anson, her grandchildren; Neal Anson, Greg Anson, Lindsay Anson Jewell, Andrew Bell and Brendan Bell, and her great-grandchildren; Blakely, Amelia, Oliver, Hayden, Alexandria, Jett and Knox.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, August 22, 2020 at Shelter House #2, Shawnee Mission Park, 7900 Renner Road in Lenexa, KS.

Memorial gifts may be made to Women's Committee Conservatory of Music through UMKC Foundation, 112 Administration Center, 5100 Rockhill Rd Kansas City, MO 64110 and Church of the Resurrection Overland Park (formerly Valley View UMC) 8412 W 95th St, Overland Park, KS  66212.