Dawn Marie was born in Owen Sound on Thursday, September 26, 1957, to proud parents, James Morell and Shirley Marie (Knapp) Bell. She was the eldest of three children and was soon joined by younger siblings Connie (1959) and Lance (1961). The Bells spent the first few years in Desboro before relocating to Corunna, outside of Sarnia. Here, Dawn began school and excelled in sports, particularly baseball. She could often be found outside after school practicing with Shirley, eventually developing into an accomplished back catcher. Dawn went on to attend Royal SCITS Academy in Sarnia. It was here that she met Charles Lefebvre, her future husband and the father of her children. Together, they welcomed their son Dan in 1975 and their daughter, Christie, in 1978. In 1980, their marriage dissolved and together with her children, Dawn set out to make a life for the three of them. She quickly found work as a waitress and bartender and worked hard to provide for her children. In the years following, Dawn worked a variety of jobs, including waitressing and retail work.

In the winter of 1984, Dawn was working at Sideline, a bar and pool hall in Sarnia, when in walked a sailor by the name of Eric “Lance” Farris. As they say, the rest is history, as the two quickly hit it off. In the coming months, they began dating and soon moved in together. Lance accepted and loved Dan and Christie like his own, and they formed a tight family. Dawn always pushed herself and returned to school to pursue a business diploma from Lambton College in her adult years.

In 1990, while out for the evening with her friend, JC, Dawn splurged and bought a racehorse… yes, you read that right! Its name, “Some Splurge” – how fitting – it raced regularly at Hiawatha Racetrack in Sarnia. Together, with Lance, they owned several standardbreds through the coming years and spent many nights at the track cheering on their horses.

In 1999, she and Lance decided to finally get married. Ask Lance about that story! The two were wed on Saturday, July 24, 1999, at a local park in Sarnia, before returning to their backyard for the reception – a real party! They spent their honeymoon looking for a new home in Grimsby, where they moved a few months later for a new job opportunity for Lance. Dawn began working for a home building company and later moved on to a new job with CVS Machine Services, where she ultimately retired from.  During their time in Grimsby, Dawn used her connections through work and her help from Lance, Dan and their friend Derek to turn the raccoon infested building into a beautiful home for her and Lance.

Dawn enjoyed the summer months and the opportunity to get outside and spend time in the garden, often caring for her flowers. She also adored animals and loved her dogs. It was never enough to have just one dog; Dawn always had two, with Lassie and Sasha being two of her favourites. When asked about a favourite memory, the story of Dawn offering to walk her cousin, Tracey’s dog, often came up. Tracey owned a few English Bulldogs, each of which weighed about the same as Dawn. I think you can see where this is going. Picture Dawn in a full snowsuit, setting out… only to be seen minutes later being dragged, through the mud, and under a fence behind the dogs. Let’s just say she returned laughing, as she was covered from head to toe in mud, and honestly did little walking…

Given that Dawn liked warmer temperatures, it should not be a big surprise that she liked travelling south. She travelled to Mexico, but found her paradise, along with Lance, at their Florida home outside of Orlando. Here, they made countless memories with family and friends through the years, always enjoying hosting company. Dawn was an awesome cook and always made more than enough, no matter who she was preparing it for. Although not a big eater herself, Lance rubbed off on her, as she appreciated a good lobster dinner. Anyone who knew Dawn knew of her love (and addiction) to Pepsi. She drank it in the morning, at night, and anytime in between. No day was complete without more than one, and you would never dare to sneak her the alternative – a Coke!

In 2014, Lance and Dawn moved north, to Scone, and closer to her extended family. Life slowed down, and she spent more time with family and friends. One such group was her three grandchildren. Dawn loved them fiercely, and they all enjoyed their summer vacations at Grandma’s. She would do anything for them, and she always made sure their needs were met, often spoiling them. Dawn’s kindness did not stop there, as she could often be found helping members of her local Amish community. She was a regular driver for many of them and enjoyed their mutual friendship.

Sadly, in recent years, Dawn experienced her fair share of health challenges, but never made excuses. She fought and was always surrounded and supported by family and friends. Quiet time at home often included an episode, or ten, of home improvement programming, with a bit of The Big Bang Theory thrown in to mix things up. She was content to live a simple life and loved to collect a little bit of everything!

In recent weeks, Dawn’s health challenges became worse, and she passed away surrounded by her family at Brightshores Health System in Owen Sound on Saturday, September 13, 2025, in her 68^th year.

Beloved wife and best friend of Lance. Cherished daughter of Shirley Clarke of Chesley and mother of Christie (Raymond) Klassen of Sarnia, and Dan Lefebvre of Edmonton. Dawn will be dearly missed by her grandchildren, Lola, Macy, and Eric, as well as Eric’s mother, Melinda Kee. She will be sadly missed by her siblings, Connie Gaeler of Windsor, and Lance Bell of Chesley. Dawn was predeceased by her father, James “Mel” Bell; stepfather Rick Clarke; and her grandparents, Boyd and Mary Bell, and Arnold and Lila Knapp.

An informal visitation will be held at Rhody Family Funeral Home, Chesley, on Friday from 7 – 9 p.m., where a funeral service honouring Dawn’s life will be held on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at 11 a.m. Interment in Desboro Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to SickKids Foundation, Bluewater Children’s Foundation, or Grey Bruce Animal Shelter would be appreciated as expressions of sympathy.