Francesca Bell, age 101 of Seguin, passed away peacefully at home on February 11, 2024.  She was born in Molfetta, Italy, on October 15, 1922, to Maria and Dominico DeCeglie.

When Francesca was three years old, the family moved to Marseille, France where she grew up and attended school. In 1939, the family returned to Italy and lived in Bari where she met her future husband, William R. Bell, a US serviceman from Wyoming who was stationed nearby during World War II. They were married on May 2, 1944, and lived in Bari.

In 1945, after the war ended, she traveled with their six-month-old daughter to the United States to join her husband who had already been returned to the States where he was discharged. Francesca and her infant daughter made the arduous journey by ship when Francesca was unable to speak a word of English. They landed in Boston, from where they traveled by train to meet Bill in Wyoming.

Bill and Francesca purchased a ranch near Arvada, Wyoming. They raised a family of three girls and operated the ranch until 1991 when they retired to Sheridan, Wyoming. In 2004 they moved to Seguin, Texas, to be closer to family. At the time of her death, Francesca lived with her daughter Willa in Seguin.

Francesca was a French-trained seamstress and tailor, a talented watercolor artist, and an accomplished quilter, crocheter, and knitter.

She is preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, William R. Bell.

Survivors include daughters, Mary Eikenberry, Willa Hagemann, and Yvonne Johnson; grandchildren Bill Eikenberry, Tom Eikenberry, Crysti Wilson, Shawn Johnson, Kelly Hagemann, and Tom Hagemann; several great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; sisters, nieces and nephews, many friends and other loving family members.

Graveside services and interment will be held on Thursday, February 15, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at San Geronimo Cemetery with Chaplain Jimisu Stuckey officiating.

Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one's choice.