Lillian Bell Tuskey

Lillian “Lily” Bell Tuskey passed away April 13th, 2024 at the age of 92. Lily was born in Windsor, NY on September 2, 1931, to Harold Bell and Margaret Richards Bell. She was predeceased by her parents, her husband Richard Tuskey and her brother Philip Bell. She is survived by her sister Roberta Hennessy and family, her children Terri Van Soest (John) and Robert Tuskey (Nancy), her grandchildren Conor Tuskey, Justin Tuskey (Rosa-Anna), Kyle Tuskey, Tia Bowen (Stiles), Brianna Van Soest Deboever (Nate), and Abby Van Soest. Her family recently expanded to include two great-grandchildren, Elanor Deboever and Mackay Bowen.

In 1980, Lily was blessed to be united with Harold and Lillian Bell’s family, children by her birth father from a second marriage. Dinah, Wayne, Terry, Sandra, Glendora, Harold, Brenda, Carolyn and Clem were not thought of as half-siblings but rather as the sisters and brothers which made for an even dozen of Bell children.

Lily arrived in Ithaca, NY on Labor Day, 1953, after graduating from SUNY Oneonta. The next day, she began her career in education as a 4th grade teacher at Fall Creek School, beginning a long and dedicated career in Ithaca’s education system.  Throughout her life she remained in contact with many of the students she was fortunate to teach and learn from until she retired in 1986.

It was during these years that Lily married Richard (June 30, 1956). The two of them worked full-time while pursuing college degrees. In 1961, Richard received a Bachelor’s of Science from Ithaca College and Lily a Masters of Education from Cornell University.

In 1972, Lily was appointed principal of Henry St. John School, where she served for 13 years until the school was closed. Both she and the students then moved to the Belle Sherman School. During her time as principal, Lily was known for her multicultural and all-inclusive initiatives as she strove to make sure every student was seen and well-taught.

Retirement from the ICSD in 1986 provided Lily new employment and community service opportunities. She co-founded and ran Town and Country Antiques with long-time friend and business partner Ann Gunning, which thrived until Ann was overcome with illness. After Richard’s sudden death in 1987, Lily decided to pursue a dream they had long shared. For the next 12 years, she ran Lily Hill Bed & Breakfast in the 1861 farmhouse the two had purchased in 1961. 

Following earlier volunteer work on the Board of Family and Children’s Services and with the Montessori School, Lillian spent many years volunteering at Suicide Prevention Service and working as an Election Inspector. When the Immaculate Conception Food Pantry opened in 1998, she found the mission to which she would devote the rest of her volunteer years.

A funeral mass will be held for Lillian at the Immaculate Conception Church in Ithaca on Friday, April 26, at 10:00 a.m.  In lieu of flowers, contributions in Lily’s memory can be made to the Immaculate Conception Food Pantry, 113 Geneva Street, Ithaca NY.

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