At 95, Pearl Spies is still the force behind Belleville hospital book bazaar

You may not see 95-year-old Pearl Spies among the thousands of books, puzzles and board games at this year’s Belleville Memorial Hospital Auxiliary’s Book Bazaar, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t have a hand in it.

As the last living founding member of the Auxiliary, Spies has helped with the Bazaar since its inception. Most recently, Spies has been researching donated books and magazines online to help price them – for well below what they’d cost elsewhere, Spies noted – from her apartment in a Belleville senior living community.

“I love to do that, that keeps me from going crazy,” Spies said with a laugh.

Spies is nearing her 70th anniversary of volunteering with the Auxiliary. The Bazaar, which started Wednesday and runs through Saturday, is in its 67th year.

“It’s been a joy working with the Auxiliary,” Spies said. “I’ve learned a lot and I met a lot of nice people.”

Through the decades, Spies not only helped the Bazaar become a must-see attraction for book lovers (Spies said she’s met people who came from Texas and Florida for the annual event), but led other fundraisers, held various leadership positions and watched the hospital grow.

The Auxiliary was formed in 1957, a year before the hospital opened.

At the time, Belleville was experiencing great growth. The only hospital in the city was St. Elizabeth’s, which was then on South Third Street across from the Cathedral of St. Peter, according to past BND coverage. They needed another hospital, Spies said.

“There had been movement towards another hospital, but suddenly the growth was so big,” Spies said.

Spies first became involved when she was teaching third grade at Mascoutah’s Scott Elementary School, she said. A fellow teacher and other women who attended St. Paul United Methodist Church of Christ with Spies asked her to help with a fund drive to build a second hospital in Belleville.

The Auxiliary was born from groups of determined women, Spies said. Men weren’t allowed to join the Auxiliary until later, she added.

Its purpose was, and is, to help the hospital and its patients in many ways, from fundraising to day-to-day operations.

In previous years, trained women called “Pink Angels” roamed the floors of the hospital delivering flowers, mail and assisting nurses with non-medical tasks. While volunteers are no longer called “Pink Angels” or allowed in certain parts of the hospital, volunteers still help patients in waiting rooms and information desks.

Throughout her time in the Auxiliary, Spies served in multiple leadership roles, including as president.

The Auxiliary became a family affair; her late husband Blaine volunteered after he retired and her brother Gary Theobald and his wife Adele are actively involved. Gary has been the chairman of the Book Bazaar for the past few years and Adele has held the president and vice president positions.

Want to go?

This year’s Book Bazaar continues Thursday through Saturday at the Belle-Clair Fairgrounds, 200 South Belt East in Belleville. Thursday and Friday’s hours are 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. and Saturday’s are 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Admission is free and deals are as follows:

• Thursday: $5 off $25, $15 off $75 and $25 off $100
• Friday: half-price
• Saturday: Fill up a bag for $5 (canvas bag provided)

This story was originally published April 2, 2026 at 5:30 AM.