Janet Bull Bell

NORTH GORHAM – She had many names; whether you knew her as Jan, one of the last living North Gorham matriarchs; Janie, middle of the nine children of the Edward Bull and Nettie Fox Bull family born on August 4, 1928, and raised on Parsons Road in Mapleton and Aunt to over 50 Bull nieces and nephews; Janet, wife of Harry Bell, in-law of six Bell siblings and Aunt of over 50 Bell nieces and nephews; Grandma (or Great-Grandma) to her 12 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; or simply Mom (or Mum, depending on the child) to her six kids. No matter what you called her, the response was the same, an exclamation of greeting (“Well, well, come in!” or “Let me look at you!” or “Come in, come in, sit down!”), a drink and whatever was at hand to eat (most likely a cut up apple, carrot sticks, grapes, and the ever-present tin of some sort of baked good), and a cavalcade of questions from which she assessed everything about you in a few short minutes. If you had children with you the Maine potato basket toy box was pulled from a nearby cupboard and the children settled in to play.