BELL, Jean Carolyn - (19 November, 1935 – 28 March, 2021)
Quietly slipped away from us after a brief but valiant fight with Stage IV Metastatic Melanoma.
Born in Evanston, Illinois, to Carl Burton French and Ruth Maretta Arnold. Loving older sister to the late Carol Maretta French Palaith Shohet of NYC.
Survived by her two daughters, Carolyn (Norm) Crisp of Ottawa, and Barbara Thurston of Toronto. Beloved Nana of Alexander (Nela), Gregory, and Kyra. Great-grandmother to Jacob and William Crisp. Dear friend and companion of Jim Purcell of Newmarket. Fond cousin to Jeff (Sharon) French of Sutton.
Jean attended Havergal College, St. Clement’s School, and Northwestern University. On March 1, 1957, Jean married John Ross Thurston, the father of her two daughters. On November 11, 1988, she married retired Brigadier General George Gray Bell.
Passionate about curling, tennis, Scottish Country Dancing, golf, bridge and endless travel adventures, she was a keen photographer, especially on her adventures with George while attending military functions. Mom loved her winters in Sarasota, Florida, where many of her Thornhill friends would join her.
In the 60s and 70s, Mom volunteered with the Junior League of Toronto, the Canadian Opera Company, and was a lifelong member of Alpha Phi sorority. From the 70s until recently, she was an enthusiastic member of Thornhill Country Club, beginning with curling, and later expanding her horizons to tennis, golf, and bridge. Having been an avid golfer since her teenage years, she spent many happy hours on the greens with her Angel Friends, and she was a competitive bridge player who loved being at the club, or playing online during the pandemic.
Always a social butterfly, Jean was very outgoing and vivacious until her final days. She will be sadly missed by numerous family and friends around the globe. A special thank you to the wonderful PSWs at Canterbury Place Retirement Living. Thanks as well to healthcare at NYGH, St. John’s, Princess Margaret, Toronto Western, and TGH; Mom, Carolyn, and Barbara all appreciated her excellent care.
A celebration of Jean’s life will be held on Thursday, April 8, 2021, at 1:30 PM. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, only immediate family will be in attendance; however, all are welcome to attend the virtual celebration livestream hosted by Kane-Jerrett Funeral Home. A link will be provided as soon as it is available.
In lieu of flowers, Jean hoped memorial donations be made to Princess Margaret Cancer Research Foundation.
We will meet again, Mom, but until we do, we hope you are on Heaven’s golf team by day, and painting beautiful sunsets by night.
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