Eunice 'Boots' M. Bell

Danville Eunice Marie "Boots" Bell, 93, passed this life peacefully at 2:20 AM on August, 14, 2023, after a long spell on home hospice, where she had been lovingly attended by her husband, Charles Bell until his untimely passing a few days earlier on August 5. Born in Danville, Illinois on January 27, 1930, she was the youngest of the three daughters of Ethel Velma (Cronkhite) Roderick and Owen Perry Roderick. Eunice, the new baby of the family, was soon nicknamed "Boots" by her older sisters, who were enthralled with her infant footwear. The nickname stuck. Boots grew up on South Griffin Street and went to Cannon School. In the 1930s, the girls loved visiting their Grandma Maude in Chicago. Grandma Maudes husband was a city bus driver and always showed them the town. She later attended Danville High School, graduating in 1948. In 1949, Boots married Robert Edwards "Ed" Rummel. They had three sons.

From the late 50s through the early 70s, Boots provided for her kids by working as an opaquer at R&S Printing and Interstate Printing. She very much enjoyed her work and her co-workers. She had many lifelong friends, especially close were Vera Fiscus, Charlotte Schindel, and Barbara Waclaw. On June 6, 1981, she married the love of her life, Charles "Chuck" Bell and moved to a house Chuck had built on the Wabash River, where she became a second mom to Chucks youngest son.

She was the doting cookie-baking, fudge-making grandma to her grandchildren and cherished all the time she could spend with them. Boots and Chuck were active members of the Holiday Ramblers Camping Club. For decades they loved traveling around the country and wintering in Sebring, Florida in their motor home. but Boots was still always happy to get back home to her family, friends and neighbors in Danville. Boots was a remarkably sweet lady who taught her kids to never say unkind words to or about others, "If you cant say something nice, dont say anything at all." While her sons often strayed from this tenet, she consistently practiced as she preached.

She is survived by her son, Ed (Naomi) Rummel of Danville; step-children, Eric (Laura) Bell of Covington, IN, and Becky (Don) Julian of Cayuga, IN; daughter-in-law Karen Rummel; and several grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; two sons, Lawrence Rummel and Kim Rummel; step-son, Charles Bell; and two sisters, Evelyn Kruzich and Jean Dobbles.

The Bell/Rummel family would like to thank the excellent Carle Home Hospice staff and volunteers who helped Boots on her journey, and aided Chuck in the many months of heartfelt attentive homecare he provided our mom/grandma/great grandma.

A service to celebrate the life of Eunice "Boots" Bell will be held at 3 PM on Saturday, August 19, 2023 at Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 3940 N. Vermilion St. Danville, IL 61834. Burial will follow at Forest Park Cemetery in Georgetown. Visitation will be held from 2-3 PM prior to the service on Saturday, also at Sunset in Danville.

Please join Boots family in sharing memories, photos, and video of her life through her tribute wall at www.sunsetfuneralhome.com.

Services Visitation Saturday August 19, 2023 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM Sunset Funeral Home & Cremation Center 3940 N Vermilion St. Danville, Il 61834 Funeral Service Saturday August 19, 2023 3:00 PM Sunset Funeral Home & Cremation Center 3940 N Vermilion St. Danville, Il 61834