WHO IS CARRIE BELL?

 

CARRIE BELL KEUCHLER SHAW WAS BORN JULY 21,1913 IN JACKSONVILLE, IL TO VIRGIL AND NELLIE KEUCHLER.CARRIE BELL WAS ONE OF FOUR CHILDREN, ALONG WITH HER SIBLINGS CHARLES, FAYE AND BILL, SHE WAS TAUGHT TO “WASTE NOT AND WANT NOT”. SHE HAD BOTH A LOVE AND SKILL FOR COOKING THAT ALLOWED HER TO TAKE LITTLE AND MAKE IT INTO SOMETHING BOTH TANTALIZING AND SCRUMPTIOUS. THOSE ATTRIBUTES SEEM TO HAVE BEEN PASSED DOWN TO HER GRANDDAUGHTER N’YET SHAW, OWNER OF CARRIE BELL’S ICE CREAM AND CINNAMON ROLLS. AS A CHILD OF “THE GREAT DEPRESSION” CARRIE HAD IMPLANTED IN HER DNA TO USE ALL OF GOD’S BLESSINGS, WASTING WAS NOT AN OPTION.

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CARRIE BELL UNDERSTOOD AT A YOUNG AGE THAT SOMETIMES YOU DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT, BUT YOU ALWAYS HAD ENOUGH TO SHARE. EVERYONE IN HER SPRINGFIELD, IL NEIGHBORHOOD KNEW THAT ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS TO TELL MAMA SHAW THAT YOU WERE HUNGRY, AND YOU WOULD BE THE RECIPIENT OF FOOD THAT WAS BOTH FILLING AND SATISFYING. TO THIS DAY HER COBBLERS, CAKES, AND MAIN DISHES ARE PART OF HER FAMILY’S HISTORY AND LEGEND. AS A LIFELONG LEARNER, SHE WAS NEVER SATISFIED TO REST ON HER LAURELS, AND CONSISTENTLY ADDED NEW RECIPES AND DISHES TO HER COLLECTION. SHE LOVED GOING THROUGH THE DAILY PAPER AND FINDING NEW RECIPES TO TRY. THERE WAS NEVER A TIME WHEN FAMILY OR FRIENDS WERE DISAPPOINTED.

 

CARRIE BELL WOULD OFTEN TEACH LIFE LESSONS THAT BROUGHT ABOUT THE SPIRIT OF COMBINING WHAT YOU HAD AS AN INDIVIDUAL WITH THE TABLE OF THE COMMUNITY TO CREATE SOMETHING BIGGER THAN YOURSELF. HER RECIPIES FOR LIFE CONTINUE ON TODAY THROUGH HER NEICES, NEPHEWS, GRANDCHILDREN AND DAUGHTERS. HER FAMILY WAS TRULY HER STRENGTH. IN THE WORDS OF CARRIE BELL KEUCHLER SHAW,

“DON’T LET NOBODY STEAL YOUR MIND!”