Obituary of Suzan R. Bell

On March 23, 2016, the world lost a beautiful soul. Suzan R. Bell (Suzi) passed away at Vanderbilt University Hospital in Nashville, TN, after a long but always courageous battle with a rare neurological disease and most recently leukemia. No matter how difficult the fight, she always faced it with a smile and continually brought joy to all who treated her. Suzi is happily in eternity with her beloved father, Dr. James C. Ratcliff, and brother, Jimbo Ratcliff. She is survived by her mother, Carol Ratcliff, her husband of almost 27 years, Dudley Bell, as well as her three beautiful daughters, their husbands, and children: Heather Mason (Chris, Anslee, and Daniel), Jaimee Lee (Stephen, Mary Ratcliff, and Emerson) and Amanda Blunt (Trah, Layla Lynn). She is also survived by her sister Karen, her husband Paul and their children, Fran and Joel, as well as her brother Bob and his wife, Robin. Lastly, she is survived by her precious “boys” (dogs) Taco and Batson, who were always at her side day and night. Suzi was a former resident of Brooksville, MS; Columbus, MS; and Fayette, AL, most recently residing in Cashiers, NC, where she loved to sit on the porch and enjoy the beautiful mountain air, flowers, and “her” hummingbirds. She graduated from Central Academy and Mississippi State with a degree in Floral Science. Although a graduate of MSU, she would never formally acknowledge it; she was a hardcore Ole Miss Rebel fan through and through, always wearing the same “good luck” outfit on game day while critiquing each player with comments written in blue and red sharpies on the rosters she would keep in front of her while watching the game on TV. Suzi loved the outdoors, particular fishing. She, however, had a very difficult time with the concept of “release.” If it was caught, it was kept. She had many other loves in life, including food, gardening, and reading. Her only true dislike was tomatoes, a trait that she passed along to her girls, and one that continually confounded her entire family of tomato connoisseurs. Suzi was truly loved by all who knew her. She will be dearly missed. Our hearts break. May God bless you, our dear Suzi. There will be a private service for the family to bless her ashes at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 9, 2016, at the Ratcliff camp house in Bigbee Valley followed by a memorial celebration gathering at 3:00 at the same location. Any gift or memorial should be sent in Suzi’s honor to either Saint Michael’s Episcopal Church, 431 Tenth Street NW, Fayette, Alabama 35555, or Vanderbilt University Hospital, c/o of The Hematology Department, 10th Floor, Critical Care Tower, 1211 Medical Center Drive, Nashville, TN 37232.