CHARLESTON — Sammie Earnest Bell passed away Thursday night, Dec. 23, surrounded by his loved ones. He fought a courageous cancer battle and approached it like he had everything else he faced and undertook, determined to succeed and beat the odds.
The family will receive friends today, Monday, Dec. 27, from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Charleston First Presbyterian Church. The service will follow at 2 p.m. with Brother Paul Long officiating. Newsom Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.
Sammie lived in Charleston and was born Sept. 8, 1950 to loving parents, Sammie Earnest Bell, Sr. and Rhoda Rossie Bell.
Sammie was known for his caring nature, his work ethic, his wit and humor, his gift of gab, his love for Ole Miss and especially his love for his wife, Beth, and his two precious girls, Mary Hays and Rossie. Those who knew Sammie always felt he would die a confirmed bachelor. That was until a cute young thing by the name of Beth Smith came to town and rocked his world. Beth had moved to Charleston to take a position at the Tallahatchie County Extension Office. Sammie was working at the local AVM John Deere Dealership in Charleston, living with and caring for his mother who suffered from Alzheimer’s. Their chance meeting at the China Cabinet Restaurant blossomed and a marriage of 22 years created a life full of loving memories. He loved his girls and never missed an opportunity to do something with them or take them where ever they wanted to go.
His love for Ole Miss was over-the-top, going so far as to having Mary Hays’ debit card an Ole Miss rather than MS State where she goes to school. He shared and encouraged that Ole Miss fervor with both his girls. He would take Mary Hays and Rossie to many Ole Miss Football games played at home and taught them the fundamentals of the game. Music concerts were another craving Sammie had a penchant for and he shared that love with Mary Hays and took her to her first concert. Sammie and Rossie shared a love for movies and would go together to see the new releases making sure to always get popcorn and a big Coke, and they never missed an opportunity to eat at Big Bad Breakfast in Oxford on many of those excursions.
Sammie never met a stranger. He enjoyed the many adventures he went on being involved in the competition with the Pig Patrol Barbeque Team. Many tales would be told from their endeavors. Any form of car racing was also a passion of his and he was bestowed the title of “Crew Chief” for Mike Fox as they traveled near and far in a camper through many states, some as far away as Ohio participating in the NAPA Super Comp Dragster Races. They would park that camper amongst all the campers there for the competition; many equipped with elaborate grills and barbeque pits cooking up all sorts of good food. It was so tempting to Mike and Sammie to see the feast laid out at their neighbors’ camper right next door while they were left to dine on sardines and vienna sausage, wishing just to get an invite. A short time later Mike got to looking for Sammie and peered out the window and saw Sammie schmoozing with the neighbors and chowing down on a big plate of chitterlings. Mike later asked Sammie how he managed to do that. As in true Sammie fashion he said, “I just went over there and started talking to them and before long they had no choice but to ask me to join them and, of course, I couldn’t say no.”
Sammie was fortunate enough to attend numerous sporting events with Mike Flautt and one highlight in particular was when he got to delay chemotherapy for one week while he and Mike went to Arizona to watch the Ole Miss Baseball team play in the Baseball Regionals this past summer, an adventure he treasured and talked about incessantly. Sammie loved pretty shirts, stylish shorts and fun socks. He kept dropping hints to his girls hoping they could track down a hoodie for Christmas similar to those Lane Kiffin wears on the sidelines coaching his favorite team.
For the last 20 years Sammie worked at Tallahatchie General Hospital and loved all those he worked with and formed lasting relationships, which were evident by the outpouring of support they gave to Sammie during his final days. His love for Charleston was great always willing to serve in any capacity as he did for the Tallahatchie County Country Club, Charleston Arts and Revitalization Effort, a deacon for the Charleston First Presbyterian Church and 4-H volunteer.
Sammie’s Lebanese heritage lead to his love for food, in particular kibbie, grape leaves, tabouli, and his very own signature salad dressing and many other dishes he expertly created and took such pride in serving his family and friends.
Sammie was preceded in death by his parents, Sammie Earnest Bell, Sr. and Rhoda Rossie Bell.
He is survived by his wife, Beth, and daughters Mary Hayes and Rossie; a sister, Cathie Bell from Seminole, Fla., and a nephew, Matthew Hamilton (Magda).
Online condolences may be made at www.newsomfuneralhome.com.
