Barbara A. Bell

WORCESTER - Barbara Ann Bell of Worcester died on May 4.

Barbara was born in Cambridge and grew up in Newton where, as a little girl, she put her clothes down the sewers and made lots of other mischief. She went to high school at Maimonides in Brookline where she gained an education both in Hebrew and English. She studied at Boston University and lived most of her adult life in the Worcester area.

Barbara was an editor and graphic designer, beginning her career at Little Brown and then working freelance for many years. She was a go-to editor of textbooks, completing many projects for Houghton Mifflin and becoming a subject-matter expert in topics such as the sex lives of moss and sea cucumbers. She also worked on many projects for the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI). In her career she taught at Northeastern, spoke at Harvard, and worked for Inc. Magazine and the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. She was an early adopter of computers and technology, loved logic problems and sudoku, and was just about the smartest person you could ever know.

Barbara was an activist and a humanitarian. It’s hard to say when it all began, but she fought for better (pig) zoning laws when she lived in Bolton and made a significant impact on the pro-choice movement, founding the Wachusett Coalition for Choice, and working to support other organizations to protect a woman’s right to choose such as Planned Parenthood and the Jane Fund. She campaigned for politicians she believed in and was the person others asked when trying to learn more about an issue or decide who to vote for in an election.

Barbara had strong opinions, was very stubborn, and loved fiercely. She had excellent taste and was not afraid of color. She hated broccoli and Brussels sprouts and loved chocolate and coffee. We loved her very much.

She is survived by her partner and the love of her life, Rachel Cooney; her daughter and son-in-law, Rachel and Masamichi Yamada; and her beloved grandchildren, Max and Sen. She is also survived by her siblings, Molly Peddar, Mark (Barbara) Bell, and Joseph (Dawn) Bell; and by nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was predeceased by her parents Aaron and Harriet Bell, and her brother Allan.

Services and interment will be held Tuesday, May 7, at 11:00 AM at the Falmouth Jewish Cemetery at 7 Hatchville Rd, East Falmouth. Arrangements are under the care of Miles Funeral Home of Holden. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Abby’s House ( https://abbyshouse.org/donate/ ) or the Jane Fund ( https://secure.actblue.com/donate/janefundma ).