Edith Marion Bell was born July 21, 1943 in Portsmouth, Virginia to the late Willie Baxter and Viola Johnson. Edith was a member of New Mt. Sinai Church and loved praising God and sharing God’s Word to all who knew her. Edith affectionately known as “Baby” by her childhood friends, or “Mother Bell” by her church family, and “Grandma” and “Grandma-Me” by her grand and great-grandchildren, departed this life on May 10, 2022. She was predeceased in death by her sister, Edna Mae Jefferson, brother in-law, Charlie “Charles” Jefferson, brothers Willie Baxter Jr and Arthur Johnson, and niece Janet Jefferson. Left to cherish her memories are her husband, Maurice “Bo” Bell, her sons, Alland Johnson (Antionette) and Demetrius Johnson (Vanessa) both of Portsmouth, her daughters, Gina Johnson of Portsmouth and Priscilla Boggs (Shawn) of Chesapeake, sisters in-law, Thomasine James, Marion Stephens, Ida Mae Johnson and brothers in-law, Bruce Bell (Tammy), Joseph Epps (Tammy), and Carol Epps (Joyce Ann).

Edith grew up in the Brighton area of Portsmouth where she attended Portsmouth Public Schools. She worked at Moseberth’s for many moons until she retired in 1999. She was a great cook, a prayer warrior and one who always had a prayer or word of God to give to all those who met her. She never met a stranger and always was willing to give a testimony or sing a song. She prayed to live long enough to see her first grandchild, who then came two at a time. Edith was blessed to have 19 grandchildren: Danta, Antonio, Demetrius “Terrell,” Shawnte, DeAndre, Kierra, Tanesha, DeShawn, Delmonte, Brantavious, Sanaa, Alland, Brooklyn, Aukeem, Ashley, Jeremiah, Mia, Anthony, Brittany; 21 great-grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, and great nieces and great nephews. Her love was far and wide, and all her extended family was just so. Edith was “grandma” to many. She had a prayer partner, Ms. Lorraine Boone whom she loved dearly. Her favorite saying was, “I do not put my trust in man, but GOD, and I suggest you do the same.”