Judith Bell Rains

Judith Bell Rains, 67, passed away on January 31, 2010, in Cleveland, Ohio, after battling colon cancer. Born May 16, 1942 to Evelyn (Hartzog) and Albert Bell in Dallas, Tex., she attended Highland Park High School and the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.

Her career included freelance writing for the Arkansas Gazette and The Episcopal Diocese of Arkansas before joining the newspaper staff of the Arkansas Democrat in Little Rock. She reported on topics ranging from the Arkansas prison system to New York fashion week; wrote a regular beauty and lifestyle column; and interviewed personalities from athlete Sidney Moncrief to author Madeleine L’Engle. Judy received several writing awards from the Arkansas Press Women’s Association.

She returned to her Texas roots in the early 1990s, where she worked in fashion sales and merchandising. A lifelong Episcopalian, she was most recently a member of Church of the Holy Cross in Dallas.

Judy was married to Craig Rains from 1963-1986. She is survived by three children: Brent Rains (Laurie) of Arlington, VA., Michael Rains (Monika Koniecka) of New York City, and Meg Rains (Jeffrey Babbitt) of Cleveland, Ohio; along with granddaughter Alexandra Rains of Arlington, VA.; sisters Pamela Hamby of Little Rock, AK., and Penelope Magnin of Savannah, GA.; and several nieces and cousins. Her parents and a sister, Lucinda Adams, preceded her in death.

Memorials may be made to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (www.nami.org) or Hospice of the Western Reserve (www.hospicewr.org). Family correspondence may be sent to 2635 N. Moreland Blvd., Ste. #301, Cleveland, Ohio 44120.