Kathleen Mary Bell, 83, a resident of Laurelhurst in Columbus, died Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018, at the Smith Phayer Hospice House in Landrum, South Carolina.

Kathleen (Kay) was born in Baltimore, Maryland. She was the daughter of the late Richard Xavier and Kathryn Fitts McLellan.

She graduated from St. Agnes Hospital School of Nursing in 1956 in Baltimore and became a public health nurse for Prince Georges County, Maryland. 

She married George Bernard Bell in 1958 and they raised six children. 

A lifelong Catholic, Kay was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Tryon, North Carolina, for the last 21 years. She was a dedicated and loving wife, mother and grandmother.

She was active in her former community, Links O Tryon in Campobello, South Carolina. She enjoyed golfing, entertaining, swimming and walking.

Kay was active in her various church communities throughout her life and was an avid volunteer in the pro-life movement and enjoyed singing in the church choir.

Kay is survived by George, her loving spouse of 60 years; her children, Mary Elizabeth Pittman (Bruce) of Potomac Falls, Virginia, Ann Marie Caravello of Woodstock, Illinois, George Christopher Bell (Heather) of Hayden, Idaho, Margaret Mary Overton (Mark) of Columbus, North Carolina, Louise Marie Bell of Centerville, Virginia, and Michael Thomas Bell (Anita) of St. Petersburg, Florida; sister, Julie Ann Shipe (Ken) of Chincoteague, Virginia; brother, Francis McLellan (Ellen) of Huntingtown, Maryland; 17 loving grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held on 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Tryon, with Father Jason Christian celebrating the Mass of Christian burial.

Burial will be held at Polk Memorial Gardens in Columbus.

Visitation for family and friends will be held from 2-4 p.m., with the rosary at 3 p.m., on Friday, Dec. 21, 2018, at McFarland Funeral Chapel in Tryon.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of the Carolina Foothills, P.O. Box 336 Forest City, NC 28043.

An online guest register is available at mcfarlandfuneralchapel.com.

McFarland Funeral Chapel & Crematory, Tryon