100 years of a life well lived! Elvira (Teena) Jeanette Bell returned home to the Lord on January 30, 2026. She was born in Ossining, New York to Vincent and Mary Salvati. Elvira resided in Monroe, CT for many years and then in Storrs, CT where she lived out the last of her years, happy and well loved.

Elvira is predeceased by her one true love, her husband, Robert Bell. She is also predeceased by her parents, Vincent and Mary Salvati, her brother Vincent Salvati, her sister, Marie Andrews and her granddaughter, Becca Baxter.

Elvira was devoted to her family, and they cherished her as their heart center and anchor. Her lived examples of love, kindness and wholeness of character will be missed by everyone who knew and loved her. Elvira is survived by her children Elizabeth (Lawrence) Meres, Judith (Edward) Baxter and Robert Bell. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Ann Marie (Harry) Meres, James (Tracey) Meres, Sarabeth (William) Wojnowicz and Jake (Kathryn) Baxter, who will cherish their many memories with Nanny. Elvira’s love and spirit will also remain in her great grandchildren, Patrick, Tyler, Alexa, James and Mason, as well as an extensive extended family. She will be remembered fondly by her friends at Juniper Hill Village and in Monroe for her card skills and love of Rummikub, Mahjong and especially Bingo.

As a member of the vanishing “Greatest Generation”, Elvira exemplified an admirable spirit of resilience, frugal saving and adaptability, once saying, “I have to be thankful for what I have, because you never know what’s coming.” Elvira knew how to solve problems, often saying, “many hands make light labor” to encourage everyone to work together. In her career, these values helped guide her to success. Elvira graduated from Ossining High School and received certification from Katherine Gibbs. During her 20-year career at General Electric, as a Management Information Systems Analyst, Elvira was highly regarded for her progressive thinking and received many accolades during her years with the company.

Elvira had a zest for life, and it showed! She was a voracious reader, always curious and engaged. Elvira was well known for her Italian heritage and cooking, especially her pizzelles and pasta sauce. She loved crossword puzzles and painting as well as knitting and crocheting. She gifted many of the masterpieces she made. Elvira also enjoyed keeping a garden and passed along her green thumb to her children. She delighted in watching old Westerns and knew all the actors, a knack for which she was likely “the last of the Mohicans”. Elvira relished traveling, often with her children and grandchildren. Her last trip was to Niagara Falls which was a lifelong dream. However, Bingo was her hands-down favorite pastime, especially when she won!

Elvira will be remembered for living her life her way, on “Teen Time”, for living every day fully, for being feisty and quick-witted, for her sharp mind and sharper crossword pencils, for her devotion and dedication to all that she did, for giving the best hugs, telling the best stories, and most importantly, for living an amazing life full of love. Her family was the center of her life. She was a strong and constant presence in the lives of her children and grandchildren, often sharing stories of her life, joining on vacations, painting nails and imparting her famous quotes of wisdom, many of which were poignant and deeply meaningful.

Elvira’s devotion to her faith, particularly the Blessed Mother, was a cornerstone of her life. She enjoyed weekly services at Juniper Hill Village and lived every day with grace and conviction in the Lord. Her dedication to her faith brought her great peace.

Elvira’s family would like to thank the staff of Utopia Assisted Living (Katie, Brianna and Amanda), as well as the Juniper Hill staff, for their tender care and love.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations may be made in Elvira’s memory to: Paige’s Childhood Cancer Fund: a foundation dedicated to supporting the families of children with cancer – www.paigesccf.org. Paige’s Childhood Cancer Fund, 50 Presidential Plaza, Suite LL-3, Syracuse, NY 13202

or

Juniper Hill Village, 1 Silo Circle, Storrs, CT 06268 Attn: Susan Lamica,

Residents’ Activity Fund.

A funeral service was held at St. Mary’s Church in Coventry, CT and burial will take place at a future date at Storrs Cemetery.