With the recent passing of our mother, Lila Belle Walker Hartmann, family members have become interested in our “family crest”. We have a hand-painted picture of the crest made by Lila in 1973. The family name on the crest is “Bell”.

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Lila studied graphic art in her college years, and in her early adult years utilized her skills working in an aircraft factory during the Korean War. In later years people paid Lila to do special graphic design projects for them. The “Bell” family crest picture is a project Lila did for personal reasons unfortunately not known to the remaining family.

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Back in the early to mid-1960’s, Lila’s father, Joseph E. Walker, became very active in researching his genealogy through his own mother’s line back to the American Revolution. His purpose was for Lila to be able to join the DAR, Daughter’s of the American Revolution. Direct lineage needed to be established to an ancestor who was an active soldier during the American Revolution.

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His mother’s name was “Annie Lila Bell” whom Lila was named after her. Lila may have added an “e” to her middle name “Belle” to distinguish it from her grand-mother’s name. It is through the “Bell” family line that the generations can be traced back to the Revolutionary War. Through great diligence, my grand-father did successfully connect the family line back to the Revolution and my mother joined the DAR in June 1966.

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Through my own recent online research I have discovered there are many variations of “Bell” family crests, most incorporating bell images on the shield. No images have shown up that are the exact image of our “Bell” crest.

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Now the family has questions that may never be answered…in particular, where did Lila get her inspiration for the crest’s composition, its colors and heraldic details? We understand the origin of the “Bell” name, and we know Lila did the art work, but no documents, references or personal notes have been found to help with our understanding of how this family crest was developed. Sadly with Lila’s passing, we may never know.

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My niece, Diane, followed in Lila’s (her Granny) footsteps of studying art in college and now works in Chicago in the graphic design field. Diane had not seen the “Bell” family crest until recently and personally connected with it. I will be reframing and giving Diane the “crest” picture…a gift of Lila’s artistic legacy continuing through her grand-daughter.

This post is dedicated to our Mother, Lila Belle Walker Hartmann, who passed on Thursday, February 11, 2021. She was 88 years old. Lila was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on July 10, 1932 to parents, Joseph E. Walker and Sally Farr Walker. A younger brother, Joseph Jr., was her only sibling.

Lila’s growing up years were in Cincinnati, Ohio where she graduated from Walnut Hills Hills High School in 1950. She attended University of Cincinnati to study Marketing and Design, and was a member of the Tri-Delta Sorority. Later she would use her graphic design skills as an illustrator in an aircraft factory during the Korean War.

On August 1, 1953, Lila married James (Jim) Hartmann, also from Cincinnati, Ohio in the home of her mother, Sally Walker, in Cincinnati. Lila and Jim met in school. Lila and Jim would have three children – Cristy, Elizabeth (Liz), and James Jr. After Cristy was born, the family moved to Milford, Michigan. Lila resided in Milford until 1997 (the year she turned 65). From 1997-2010, she was with son James Jr. in Florida and back to Michigan. From 2010 to her passing, Lila lived with daughter, Liz, in Mason, Michigan.

Her Milford years were busy raising her three children, and a working partner with her father in his honey business, Walker & Sons Apiaries. In addition, Lila was devoted to her faith and church, enjoyed knitting, and studied the oriental art of brushwork painting. During the later years of her life, Lila enjoyed attending teas with her daughter Cristy.

Lila was devoted to her children all her life. During our growing up years Lila gave the most precious gift she could – helping each one of us find our special talents and supporting each one’s particular interests. For Cristy, it was enrolling her in 4-H and learning to sew. For Liz, it was her ballet and dance. For James Jr. it was his sports, football and weight-lifting. Lila would see all three children graduate from Michigan State University, with Cristy and Liz going on to achieve their Master’s degrees (MSU).

Lila’s family continues on with her four grand-children – Diane, David, Nathanael, and Gabriel; and three great-grand-children- Madison, Silas, and Riley.

Lila’s legacy will be her love, kindness, generosity, optimism and positive attitude she expressed to all who knew her. She always had an encouraging word and bright smile. She loved life. She loved her family. She loved God.

God Bless You Mom.

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