Mary Belle was born in Lincoln, Nebraska on September 1,1934 to Walter and Mabel McMullen.

As a little girl, Mary Belle, the first and middle name she would be called her entire life, loved dogs, dollies, and helping her mama. When she was six years old, her daddy died of pneumonia while the family, including brothers Dee and Burton, were at church family camp. God was near to them all and her widowed mother, Mabel, moved the family to Central College in McPherson, Kansas where Mabel taught home economics and was a dorm mother. Mary Belle had her own room in a college dorm at 14 and enjoyed the fellowship and family of a small, Christian community. It was here that she met her future husband and sweetheart, Harry Bud Timm. Bud and Mary Belle married in August of 1952, and immediately moved across the country for Bud to finish college at Seattle Pacific. In those early years, Mary Belle supported Bud as an assistant pastor and school teacher, and the young couple started their family, welcoming Sharon and Sharleen.

In 1959 they traveled to Wilmore, Kentucky where Bud started seminary and Steve was born. After seminary, Bud and Mary Belle pastored the Bremerton Free Methodist church and Shelly arrived. Mary Belle dearly loved her children and the house was full of kids and always, a dog. In 1967 Bud and Mary Belle prayerfully decided to accept Bud's call to be a military chaplain and MaryBelle became an Army wife. She moved many times over the next 22 years, even enduring the fall of the Shah in Tehran, Iran. She was evacuated with her youngest daughter, Shelly while the family waited for Bud to follow. Through all these experiences Mary Belle lived her life as a Christ follower, evident in her gentle and kind spirit. With every move around the country, Mary Belle used her many talents to create a warm and welcoming home for her own family, as well as a haven for visitors. While living in Hawaii for three years, Mary Belle and Bud were rarely alone as they welcomed hundreds of family and friends to Oahu for long stays, beach trips and tours of the island. She kept that Aloha spirit her whole life. She ministered to others by playing the organ and piano at church, volunteering on base as an active military wife, and later when Bud was a prison chaplain, reaching out to others through different prison ministries. A few things she enjoyed were writing letters, playing scrabble, decorating birthday cakes for her children, sewing, and making mouth-watering meals. After Bud retired from the military, they delighted in ten more years together before his death from cancer in 2000. In 2002, Mary Belle made the first solo move of her life to the Warm Beach Senior Community. She had a close-knit community of friends at Warm Beach who traveled and spent time together, and who prayed for one another. She was a devoted grandmother and went to all her grandchildren's school plays, concerts, and athletic events. In 2011, Mary Belle married Bud McDole, enjoying 11 more years of sweet companionship and a wonderful extended family. They continued to live and serve at Warm Beach; Mary Belle especially enjoyed working at the Lights of Christmas, the Thrift Shop, and involvement at her beloved Warm Beach Church. Her "second Bud", as she lovingly called him, went home to the Lord in 2022.

Through her life, Mary Belle would say her most important role was praying daily for her many children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Mary Belle's long held faith has become sight, as she now sees her Savior. Her family has deep joy knowing she is home with Jesus.