Jean McCarty Bell

Jean was a beautiful lady with the heart of a servant. She was a cosmetologist who cut and styled hair to make everyone look better. She was an excellent seamstress who taught herself to sew when she was a teenager. She did all manner of crafts and loved to get her fingers in the dirt to grow flowers. Her yard was always a showplace of beauty.

She collected beautiful and decorative rocks; they came from all over the country, which of course followed her to her new home in Gardendale. And she loved books. She read constantly, keeping her family busy with trips to the bookstores. Our mom was a quiet soul with a great sense of humor. The many acts of kindness she showed to her neighbors demonstrated her compassionate heart, sweet spirit, and unselfish nature.

The love of her life was her husband, Don, who died far too soon in July 1993. Mr. Bell was a sheet metal worker who served 27 years in the Alabama Air National Guard and retired from Pemco Aeroplex. Jean is also preceded in death by her parents, Hobart and Claudie McCarty and brother Mike McCarty.

Jean is survived by her children and their spouses, John and Jane Bell, and Donna and Michael Brooks; her five grandchildren and their spouses, Chad and Emily Bell, Scott and Lauri Bell, Jeanna and Matt Hall, Jami and Jim Bennett, and John Brooks; her bonus grandchildren, Jennifer Morris and Brian Bland; her eight great grandchildren, Jala, Vanna, Aubrey, Anna Kate, Kasey, Brooks, Read, and Sims; her bonus great grandchildren; Kinsley, Kyleigh, Caeden, and Jake; her siblings, Net, Robert, and Willard; and a host of nieces, nephews, and extended relatives.

She adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren who lovingly referred to her as MawMaw. She took time to have relationships with them, to talk with them and to encourage them. She relished their visits, phone calls, texts and “likes” on Facebook. She enjoyed displaying their pictures and the treasures they made for her. Her gifts of photography and journaling created a history for her beautiful family.

She loved country music, especially George Jones, and gospel music, especially Jimmy Swaggart and the Gaithers.

Her best day was having her family together in one place even during Covid. We gathered outside her house, had food in the garage and enjoyed being with her.

She leaves a legacy of love for family and faith. She told us she prayed for family members by name every night.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Dr. David Schultz, Dr. Jeremy Smith, and Nurse Jordan at St. Vincent’s SICU.

A Celebration of Jean’s Life will be held on Saturday, August 12, 2023 at Ridout’s Gardendale Chapel at 2:00 pm. The family will receive friends from 12:30 to 2:00 pm. Burial will be held at Liberty Baptist Church Cemetery in Alliance, Alabama.

In lieu of flowers the family respectfully requests gifts in her memory to one of the following charities:

Disabled American Veterans (help.dav.org)

860 Dolwick Drive

Erlanger, KY 41018

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Stjude.org

262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105

Samaritan’s Purse Christmas Shoebox Ministry

Siluria Baptist Church

Siluriabaptist.com

10696 Highway 119 South

Alabaster, AL 35007

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ridoutsgardendalechapel.com for the Bell family.